Denial
by lilnicky21
Summary: Full Summary inside. Sequal to 'Deception'.
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own the following…  
Books:  
_Mists of Avalon _by Marion Zimmer Bradley  
_Monkey and the White Bone Demon_- Adapted by Zhang Xiu Shi from a novel by Wu Cheng En  
_Druids_ by Morgan Llywelyn _

_Labyrinth by Jim Henson_

**Full summary**: Sarah was betrayed by her father in the Aboveground and wished herself Underground. What she didn't know was that the betrayal was orchestrated by Jareth and his elder sister Annetha. A fae, posing as a mafia godfather in London was after Sarah. The reasons were unknown until certain facts come to light. Officially a crossover with Mists of Avalon but can be read without prior knowledge of said book.

Rating: T for language and suggestive themes  
Genre: Adventure and many more.  
Warning: Character death. Sorry for the bad news.  
Author's Note: This is the second segment in the, tentative, trilogy. Thank you all for reading. Enjoy.

Part Two: Denial

_So many things pass unnoticed; the conception of a child within a race that does not recreate as quickly or as easily as some is something that should not go unheeded, but it happened. _

_The arrival of fall and the first frost is studiously recorded by famers and herders, however within the thick stone walls of a castle, the arrival and theft of Jack Frost is often unnoticed._

OXO

**Chapter 1: A ring from the Past**

"Your majesty? Please come away from there." Jareth raised his head slightly to show that he heard but otherwise did not more from his bedroom window, overlooking his domain. "Please sire, you're not at fault. Do not blame yourself-."

"Do not presume to tell me what to do!" He thundered, still not turning away. "I am still your king! It is not is a servants position to tell what I might feel." while his voice was thunder, his eyes were lightening and they flashed, causing the window to shatter. The pathetic goblin fled before his terrible and despairing king could do him physical harm.

Jareth sighed. After Sarah- disappeared- he gathered the sand on which she stood but it was impossible to tell if he honestly gathered her ashes or not. It wasn't fair…

A light knock on his door brought him out of her reverie. He looked up to see Tano, his advisor and friend. "Mi Lord, Your sister, the queen of Scats, has arrived." Annetha pushed past the servant blazing with ice.

"How could you have let this happen?" she screeched, "You take her from the castle and she gets toasted into oblivion by the blue light! What in the above were you thinking letting her out of the castle in this season?"

"I _didn't_ let her-." Jareth bit back. "You were the one who threw her out in the first place over a silly little bet that involved me! I loved her! Does that make you happy? I loved her and you made her use that love for you own entertainment! You are sick and twisted and I'm ashamed to know you as my sister!"

"You arrogant bastard! Don't you dare place all the blame on me! That girl was impulsive and she only ever did what she wanted! She enjoyed using you!"

"Ha! You only want to believe that, you selfish witch, because you have to convince yourself that she wasn't the right human when you know damn rights that she was the perfect human for your throne!"

Annetha was stunned. She stared at Jareth for a long time, panting like a dog. She sank down onto Jareth's bed and cried into her hands. "I've killed her!"

Jareth deflated, all his rage disappearing like a puff of smoke. "No love, don't put all the blame on your self. Look at what I've done." He sat beside her, but not touching her.

"Oh don't be stupid, Jareth! You only loved her. What could you have done to prevent this? Like you said you held no power over her!"

He smiled sadly, "I had more power over Sarah then I have ever had over another human being."

Annetha looked at him, her eyes streaming. "How?"

He pulled out a slip of white material from his pocket and gave it to her to hold. It was his silk shirt, one of his favourites. Four small punctures were evenly spaced and dried blood was dripped down the front. "This was from the morning after we completed your little bet. It holds her blood. Test it if you will."

Annetha peered closely at the stain, the essence of Sarah, definitely, but there was also a faint shimmer intermixed. Something living and separate and yet…

"She was pregnant?" Annetha exclaimed and dropped the shirt on her lap. Her hands shook. "Did she know?"

Jareth nodded. "She went to see Laurrie and made him swear not to tell me. I found out through Hoggle." He pulled the shirt towards him and tossed it on the floor. "This was the reason she ran from me. She couldn't tell me apparently."

Annetha just stared at him. "Jareth! Her father! We must tell him. But how? His only daughter… Even if it was a mistake he must know. Maybe it wasn't! What if someone else found out she was in the Labyrinth?"

Jareth swore. "There's no help for it now. We have to tell him. Imagine his pain! All that he did for her, given up to save her! How Antonio Straccitella can live aboveground doing what he does and still come to our mother's court, I'll never know. That traitor!"

"Ja-Jareth? She didn't know… she believed he deceived and betrayed her."

"In a way he did betray her, but your right. She hated him for driving her brother and stepmother away. He did it for their safety only! But she d-died... not knowing of his sacrifices."

"Oh," she sobbed into her hands again.

"What of your kingdom? Who will take the throne?"

"Remember Jesse? She left once she became pregnant to be joined with her lover, but she is now able to return and I can make her my heir."

"It's not the scats Rule this time. It's human Rule."

"Don't you think I know that? But where am I going to find another human witch strong enough to adapt to the magics? Sarah was a rare thing indeed in this age! It's a shame she left in such a state as this! You lost your love and I've lost my heir but no one will suffer as much as disrupting the kingdom! The Balance is gone and the only way to restore it will be for a human witch to take the throne! Not enough half bloods are born with the blood of human, as it is let alone female witches! Gah!"

"That's the price mother made to allow the fae the ruling chair. That's the price we all made to come here." He turned thoughtfully to survey the room. "The result may have been different for those of us who remained aboveground while the majority of the People came here," he said to himself.

"You're not making any sense, Jareth! How is it different?"

"I, for one, had lost my soul mate and had to wait over fifteen hundred years for her to be reborn."

Annetha gasped. "You never said… you mean Guinevere and… Sarah… It cannot be!" She touched her hair. "They look so…"

"Their souls are the same. I felt it when she came to the Labyrinth last year."

"You never told me!"

"I didn't know how! Sarah may have cared for me but she claimed it was _only_ as a friend, never as a lover as we were meant to be."

"I'm sorry. I never knew how much you have lost."

"What can we do? What's done is done."

OXO

Robert stood once more in front of the head of the Italian Mafia of England, Antonio Straccitella. He stepped as far back from the man as he could without seeming to cower before him. Antonio was wearing a mask of pure rage and slightly frazzled hair as he racked his hands through it once more.

"You low life, scoundrel! Slinking though the gutters like filth! How did you manage it? Where did you get the power to call on _him_, _the king of disease?,"_ Antonio mocked, "Tell me!"

Robert remained silent. He gave his word, signing his name in blood figuratively, not to give out even a hint of how he came by the knowledge of opening the door to the Underground. The scroll had been the seal. It kept the- creatures from following his daughter to the Labyrinth. Once she was moved from that kingdom and into the sister's kingdom, Sarah was safe. Four days before, word had reached the monsters that she had left the kingdom some time ago and returned to the Labyrinth. They planned on attacking, but Jareth- the ruler of the Labyrinth- won't allow them to enter, giving the impression that he is keeping her safe. That immediately made them send for Robert Williams, who paid off his debt sometime later by selling the house and all his and Sarah's possessions. This succeeded in installing their minds with a black suspicion. There wasn't a whole lot they could do to get the information out of him. His family was safe and that's all he really cared about. They would kill him of course, for being able to get one up on them. That would leave Sarah alone in the world, without parents. Her was mother dead and her father was soon-to-be dead.

The mobster glared at him for a few moments then nodded to his henchmen who grabbed Robert's shoulder and wheeled him outside. He went along without a struggle. To do so would have marked him as unworthy to be the father of Sarah. He only hoped that King Jareth took good care of her as he had promised.

They came to an old service door at the back of the building. The henchman took a gun from his pocket and, pointing it at Robert, motioned for him to open the door. As Robert turned to face the service door the gun went off. Robert didn't even feel when he hit the floor.

OXO

Jareth focused on the image of Sarah's father. He was in an old office building, near the back. He transported himself to Robert's side. What he saw nearly stopped his heart. Robert- Sarah's father- was lying on the ground face down. There was no sign of life coming from his body. A sound of a metal _click_ as a gun was cocked alerted him to the other man in the hall. Jareth, moving faster then thought, sidestepped the bullet as it fired and grabbed the gun. He disabled it with practiced fingers. The man's face was white with shock and fear.

"Where is he? Where is Antonio, your master?"

The man shook his head, refusing to give such valuable information to a ghost who seemed to have appeared out of no where.

"Fine! Tell him this for me, stop the search of the girl, she's dead now. Can you tell him that, you worthless human? And tell him as well that he will get what is coming to him soon enough. My sister's turn has come." Jareth was pissed, to say the least and all of his and Annetha's anger was soon to be taken out on the man responsible of it all, Antonio Straccitella.

The man nodded his head, still refusing to speak.

"Good, now get out of my sight!" the man took off running.

Jareth looked back at the lifeless body lying in front of the door and sighed. Antonio was in the building, he could feel it, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. For the slime to get what was coming to him, he had to be in the Underground where this sort of thing was dealt with harshly. He nudged the body with his foot and it disappeared in a shower of lights and sparks. Never had he felt the impact of two seemingly worthless human lives as he did now. Never had someone from the human race meant that much to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: New Life**

_What a small pathetic looking thing, look at it making it's screaming noises, demanding to be released. Idiotic little human spawn. It cannot see me as I jump from tree to tree. I am nearly invisible with the frost bitten branches. Mmm the frost feels so lovely and cold. _

"Where are you? I know your there! Why have you taken me? Show yourself!"

_It's yelling at me again. I must approach to end its annoying screeching. It has seen me. See how wide its eyes have grown. They look like big shiny buttons. This one will be delicious. Mmm I can taste it already. It's well aged not at all like the young stringy-ness I have gotten, still fresh and innocent. Yuck! Its life is strong, maybe it's learned… _

_Now to feast!... Ahh! No! It's not! It's not!- It's got me! It's got me! Let Go!_

"Let go! Let go! Please. I will die. I will die!"

"Who are you? What do you want?"

_It's strong and angry. It's not a mortal? No! It has me! _

"Let go, let go! Leave me. Leave me!"

"I will let you go once you have answered me. Who are you?"

"Frost. Frost, let go!"

"Frost? What are you doing here?"

"My home! My home! Let go!"

"Why am I here?"

"Need mortal life, need food! Let go!"

"If I let you go, what will you do with me?"

"I friend, I friend. Let go let go let go!"

"You're too Gollum-like for my comfort. I think I'll hang on to you a bit longer."

"No no no. Let go let go!"

_I need to get away. It hurts it hurts. Maybe if I push it away or jump at it… _

"You little monster! Don't you even-."

_Go away! _A large bang filled the clearing. The girl was gone.

_They will deal with it. They will eat it for good old Frost. Maybe they will let me Aboveground again so I can freeze some toes and live in the mountains where those things will be lost and I can finally feast. It's been a dreadfully long time for dear, dear Jack Frost. _

OXO

Sarah looked around her, seeing nothing but the ruins of an old castle. She was reminded of her old history lessons once again. _Where am I? Am I still in the Underground or did he send me somewhere else? _Frost was a strange creature. What was he anyway? Was that the legendary Jack Frost? He looked like an over grown icicle and since everything else she found out from living with Annetha, she could well believe that the creature was indeed _the_ Frost.

A Large shape moved off to her left, causing her to turn around rapidly. There was nothing. Barren mountains stood off in the distance, silently mocking her. She looked down at her hand seeing the silver ring Jareth had given her when they departed. _Where is he now? Does he know where I am or if I am alive? _She tried calling him out loud and in her mind. She waited for him to appear behind her with out warning and hold her tight or in front of her in a shower of glitter and lights. He didn't come. Another large shape moved again, this time it was on her right. She turned again, seeing nothing. Never had she felt this insecure. She felt like someone was watching her, but she could see nothing.

The ruin of the castle seemed like it was of a Celtic design. The walls were made of stone, like all old castles, and the towers were round and squat, the notches in the walls gave the feeling that it was indeed a defensive model. A hole in the wall proved that a draw bridge used to be there, the mote was filled in with dry soil and gravel. A large mound of stones sat at the base. Looking up, Sarah couldn't see where they came from. Perhaps there was a smaller building just outside the walls that was collapsed. She climbed the pile of rubble to sit at the top and wait for something to show up.

As she reached the top, the pile of rock shifted slightly, causing her to loose balance. She went hard to her knees, badly scraping and bruising them, trying not to fall off the pile when suddenly it was shifted from under her. She fell, expecting to hit the hard rocks at the bottom. She didn't hit anything but was neatly snagged by the tight leather pants. Her arms were flung over her head and her neck snapped back. Seeing stars, she tried to look around her. Hot breath on her neck made her freeze in panic. A red hot rage burned her mind. _What now? Oh Gods, please. What is this? _A rumble filled the air and steam entered her lungs making her cough.

She twisted around, still hanging from her pant leg, trying to see her captor. A large yellow eye stared back at her. A dull yellowed and cracked tooth was bared. She screamed. The dragon roared in pain. Its delicate ears! It released her and she plummeted to the ground but a meaty hand caught her and plopped her on the ground with more care then the fall would have, but not by much.

She tried to catch her breath at the same time she tried to scoot away from the massive beast. The dragon blew smoke again, sending sparks to the ground. It made high pitch noises in contrast with the deep roar of its voice. Stamping its feet, it opened its jaws and leaned in closer to Sarah. She tried to edge her way into the open recess in the wall. It snapped its jaws, narrowly missing her toes, and while taking into account its massive jaws, that was saying something.

"Stop!" A woman called out. She was very tall and imposing. Her skin was weathered with a hue of silver shifting under the layer of near translucent surface. Her head was shaven except for a lock of thick dark hair. She wore dark brown leather pants with a matching vest. She walked past the dragon and right up to Sarah. The human was cowering in fear before the great beast but was now even more worried about this fierce, predator woman.

"Stand up, girl. You won't be eaten… yet, anyway."

Sarah stood slowly, facing the woman head on and keeping a tight hold on her emotions. "Who are you?"

"I am Jezarix." The woman smiled at the dragon behind Sarah and nodded her head. The Dragon snorted and ambled away still in sight. She glanced back at Sarah before walking slowly in the other direction. "My mate does not like outsiders. He is especially protective of me in my currant condition."

She practically ran up to Sarah and gripped her sweater in the front, baring her teeth. Sarah had a doubled vision of yellowed, cracked, and very large fangs hanging from a gaping wide mouth of a dragon. "What are you doing here?" The woman roared in a fearsome voice. Sarah cringed and her knees gave out from fear, the woman, Jezarix, held her up.

"I-I don't know. Please-."

Jezarix released her with a look if disgust. "Human spawn." She crouched on her heels and brought her face closer to Sarah's. Snarling like a mad man she asked, "Why are you here then, _human_?"

"I was sent. It wasn't my choice, please believe-."

Jezarix gripped her chin to shut her up. "Are you a spy for the Fae?"

Sarah shook her head hard. Letting the truth be known in her eyes. Jezarix released her for the second time and stood up and looking down at her. "You are lucky, very lucky, for you are a trespasser and we kill trespassers and usually eat them."

Sarah blanched. _I suppose I am lucky, but why? _She voiced her question.

"You are an exception because you are with child, only a month along but she is potent enough for us to sense this. Where is the father?"

"S- sh- s," the world began to spin and she could feel her hold on it tighten and loosen at once. She found herself on her knees once more and swaying dangerously. Her vision cleared and the world slowly decided not to spin anymore. She covered her eyes, wanting nothing more then to return back to the Labyrinth. Jareth didn't come for her so she didn't even know if the crystal would work. She couldn't risk it and besides she said that they would kill her. What more can they do?

The woman stared down at her with cold eyes. High pitch noise came from her throat. A different voice responded in the same bizarre language. A smaller dragon came fourth from just beyond Sarah's line on sight. It was twice the size of a cow but a hundred times less terrifying then the previous one. A man followed some distance behind and stood off to the side, he openly carried a metal rod, a meter in length with the first third of it covered in a single long lethal blade.

The small dragon had light pink scales and violet eyes. The spikes along its back were light to dark blue tipped in back. The woman laid a hand on its head and spoke. "This is Optic. If she takes a liking to you then you will stay. If not, you will be killed."

Sarah nodded her head in understanding. _If she decides she doesn't like me then I'm not going to wait around and give then the chance to kill me. I have my daughter now to think about. _She smiled shyly at the small dragon while gripping her ring tightly in her hand. "I hope that, for the sake of my baby, you will like me."

She spoke in the high pitch squeals of their language and the woman inclined her head. "She asks what your name is."

"Sarah Williams. I wished myself away from the Aboveground."

Jezarix translated for the small dragon. She cocked her head to one side, eyes sparkling. She made another inquiry to her translator. "She asks what brought you here. Who sent you to Dranavix?"

_Dranavix. The Dragon Kingdom. The most feared and untamed Kingdom known. I'm not even in the Underground anymore. _She started in shock as realization hit her. After the dragon's first reign in the kingdom of Scats the High Monarch of the Underground declared them in need of their own kingdom. The high crown had absolutely no power in these lands and a barrier between the boundaries of Dranavix and the Underground was established, allowing no one of the Fae magics to enter. Her stomach twisted inside her, trying desperately to get out.

"You will answer the question, human."

Jezarix's voice brought her back to the present. She looked up and knelt on her knees. "I was in the Labyrinth when the blue lightening came up and I though it killed me. I appeared in a clearing surrounded by winter. The trees were all dead and full of frost and icicles. A creature by the name of Frost brought me there to steal my mortality. When he found out I was an Immortal, he sent me here. That's all I know."

The woman laughed, oddly musical for her vicious stature. She translated and Optic came forward and touched her nose to Sarah's hand. The ring clenched in her hand suddenly disappeared. She cried out in surprise and opened her hand. "What did you do? Where is it?"

The woman looked on Sarah with a hungry grin. "Fae magic does not belong here. Optic sent it back to the creator."

Sarah let her tears fall in desperation. "It was a gift from the father. Please, it was the only thing I had."

Jezarix held out empty hands. "It's too late, human. It's gone now. You are ours for the time being."

Sarah swiped away her tears angrily, "So what now? Are you going to kill me?"

"No."

"No?" Sarah felt immediate relief wash over her. "So she welcomed me? After all that…?"

The woman nodded. "It was necessary. Too many people have come here with the intent to kill us or convert us. We do not and will not follow the ways of the Fae, no matter what they offer. By allowing the most innocent of us to question the intruder, we are able to determine if they are true or not. But I must admit, you are the first one to be welcomed in a very long time."

Sarah sighed in acceptance. "It seems that my title should be 'First in a Long Time' instead of 'Heir to the Kingdom of Scats'."

Jezarix frowned. "You are the Heir? The humans are to rule now? Interesting… and yet you are carrying the child of whom?"

She placed her hands on her belly, feeling only the muscles built up after her training. "His name is Jareth."

"Jareth, Hmmm? And tell me what the heir of Scats was doing in the Labyrinth with the Goblin King?"

Optic settled on the ground and turned her large eyes to Jezarix. She blinked slowly and Jezarix translated their conversation. A sound between a burp and a squeal came from the large gaping jaw. She was laughing.

It was Sarah's turn to frown. "Is this all an amusement for you? My whole life is nothing but a big joke, isn't it? You have no idea when I've been through."

"Oh cool it, human. We laugh at the circumstances not at you. You are indeed very lucky yet you still act as if you are a victim." Jezarix spoke again in the high pitched language. Optic nodded and stood, leaving the others alone and joined the fierce dragon. The one guard stood by, still in the humanoid form; ready for anything that might happen. "We have some things to discuss; if you are to live here then you must know how things are to be."

_Great, _Sarah thought, _another lecture about the unique ways of a kingdom. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter ****3: Hope**

"Annetha?" Jareth whispered hoarsely. He stalked the halls of his sister's castle. The recent weeks since Sarah's death had played a terrible toll on his health and he agreed to return with her to her kingdom. Sarah's father was given to the Aboveground authorities anonymously and he had been lain to rest by family and friends and whoever else was present. Jareth, himself was present, but only spiritually as he gazed in his crystalline sphere. True that he wasn't sad or distraught over the death of one Robert Williams but now an entire small and once happy family was dead. Karen and Toby had been in attendance. Toby was crying, just old enough to understand death while Karen stood, stone faced, almost glaring at the coffin which encased her ex husband. She had a right to be angry. Sarah had not been forgotten or erased from any memory. She lived on in their minds but couldn't be found. A missing person. It wasn't Jareth's responsibility to inform them what had happened. The only person he had an obligation to tell was now lying six feet below the Aboveground earth.

"Annetha? Where are you? I need you, sister." Jareth was also in the castle to act as witness to the crowning of Jessie. The Scat was to hold the position of Queen until another immortal human should come.

It was well past midnight and moonlight streamed though the high windows. Finding his sister should have been a quick and easy job had Jareth's abilities not froze and ceased to work. His senses were dimmed, his magics unresponsive and he could feel his very immortality beginning to fade for a time, leaving him weak and shaky, like when he suffered from the fever when he was a little boy just as his powers came to him.

He stumbled into a door, relieved when he finally reached his older sister's room. He palmed the handle with a sweaty hand. "Annetha? Please…"

"Jareth? What's wrong? What happened?" Annetha sat up. She had been lying awake in bed, waiting for either sleep, or a reason to get up to come along. She climbed out of bed and placed a shawl about her shoulders. She grabbed her brother by the arm and tugged him over to a joined room and seated him on a chair. "You're sick! Should I call someone? Henry-."

Jareth shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm growing again, that's all. You know how it was when I was a child, this hasn't happened for nearly fourteen centuries... it was bound to happen. I don't know what's to come though. If I am like my father, then my power will just increase, if not…" he shrugged then began a new bout of shivering. It was the way of the fae. They have three main developmental periods: When they come into their gifts between the ages of eleven to nineteen, the peek of their lives at ten to twelve centuries and when they reach the end of their active lives and move into dormancy after an average of two to three millennia. Jareth's stages had always come late due to his heritage and the stress placed on him at a young age.

Annetha creased her brow in confusion. "Then why did you come here? What's the matter?"

He held out his palm, showing her a silver ring. "It came to me a few minutes ago. I don't know what it means. Oh, why has it come back now?"

Annetha picked up the ring and held it up in the moonlight. She squinted and let her fingers explore the claw and the tiny crystal. "Where did it come from? Who did you give it to? Why shouldn't it come back to you?"

Jareth looked at her with haunted eyes. "Sarah." He managed to choke out. He cleared his throat. "I gave it to Sarah before she… she.." he looked at his sister helplessly, not knowing what else to say. She seemed to understand.

"Give that to me. Rest here if you wish or go back to your own room. In the morning I'll talk to Henry about the ring and see if he knows where it came from. We just might find her… misplaced after all."

Unmistakable hope filled him, but he pushed it down in the very depth of his heart. There was no way he was going to destroy himself with blind guesses. He lost his love once again and there was no turning back. "I'll leave you to your sleep, sister. Thank you for listening to a fool tonight. Go see your physician in the morning and let me know what he finds out. Tomorrow afternoon I shall be leaving for the Labyrinth again so you will have to notify me by mirror." He kissed his sister's head. "Good night, love. I shan't see you in the morning or after the ceremony I'm afraid."

"Good night, Jareth. I'll tell you as soon as we find anything. Take care and please don't exert yourself. By the way, when will your powers come in full once more? Have you enough to get home?"

He shook his head. "Tomorrow I travel the mundane way. I'll send to you when I have arrived. There is no way of knowing how long this will last."

Jareth walked unsteadily back to his room. He was feeling immensely better but the ring had unsettled him and he still ran a light fever. The sooner his phase was over, the better.

OXO

Henry stared out the window of his study. His eyes vacant as he focused inward. Jessie's coronation was that morning. It was a solemn event as there was to be no celebrating because this very event could mean disaster for the Kingdom of Scats. Even though Annetha had tried to appeal to her mother she insisted that she crown her heir so that they may ascend to the high council and away from the mediocre affairs of the kingdoms. Annetha was, of course, furious with her parents and refused to invite them to the coronation. To her way of thinking, it was heartless and cruel of her parents and she wasn't going to relent. They could only hope that a human with Sarah's strength would come along, but the very thought of it was near impossible.

Henry came back to his office with a knock of the door. "Henry." A voice called out. "Please open up." He unlocked his door and opened it to a very rumpled Annetha.

"Your Majesty? I didn't expect you here this soon after the ceremony. What can I do for you?"

She tossed him a small box. "Please find where this came from. Use your science."

He opened the door wider. "Would you come in? I'll give you something to calm you. You look as if you didn't sleep at all."

She nodded her head and sat at his desk in his chair. As intended High Queen it was her right to usurp seats of authority. Henry gave her a cup of sweet honey juice to help with her blood sugar. He sat in front of the desk and opened the box. A silver band lay inside with the smallest crystal he had ever seen imbedded in the silver claw. He looked at his Queen in shock. "It's Jareth's!"

Anneths sighed. "Yes it is. Please find where it came from and if the owner still lives."

He lifted it to the light. "Of course the owner still lives, your majesty. Jareth had just returned to his home."

She huffed in annoyance. "I know that you fool! It was given to someone else. We just want to know if this person is still alive and where she's at."

"She? You mean Jareth gave this ring to Sar-."

Annetha stood up suddenly and cut him off. "Just do as I ask and don't question. When you give me your answers I will tell you what I know." She swept from the room leaving her drink untouched.

Henry stared at her retreating form and winced when she slammed the door. He opened his mind and reached to take a bottle of liquid off one of the shelves. Sprinkling a drop of liquid on the crystal he released the ring and watched as it floated in midair. The sudden brilliant yellow shine of the ring gave its last location. One word came to his mind as he reached the last book he had Sarah study. Dranavix. If she were only transported and not killed then she would be dead now. The Dragons had zero tolerance for trespassers even if it was unintentional. He began to weave location and seeing magics around the ring, hoping to get some positive information.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter ****4: Well Come, Anivar**

A week had passed since Sarah was forced into the cultural surroundings of Dranavix. Even though she was shunned by most of the dragons, her captor, Jezarix, felt that she needed to learn certain things about dragons. The first and most important was that they were not the fierce man eating, village destroying monsters everyone seemed to think they were. The truth was that while they were large, carnivorous, fire-breathing lizards, they were also highly intelligent. Being so intelligent meant that they would not trust Sarah. She was imprisoned in a place far away from her home, the closest thing she had to a home in the Underground. To add more discomfort to the situation; she was pregnant. Her first month of pregnancy didn't bother her, but she knew the worst was yet to come. She remembered when her step-mother was pregnant with Toby. She would be up for hours at night, getting sick. The sight of some foods made her nauseous as did the smell of exhaust, strong perfume, body odour, and the sight of Sarah, though she doubted it was really her appearance which made Karen so ill.

Sarah was sitting in the corner of an abandoned castle. It was a ruin on the outside and uninhabitable, but on the inside it looked like a home designed with nature in mind. The walls were crawling with vines and the floor was carpeted with them. Gaping holes in the ceiling were crisscrossed with flowering plants, casting green shadows over the scales of her guard. Outside was a desert, but inside was an oasis swathed in greenery. Jezarix found a bag of unused clothes for her use and they were some what similar to kind Sarah had borrowed from Jareth.

_Jareth! _The father of her unborn daughter. She wasn't ready for the responsibility of motherhood but it had saved her life, ready or not. Jezarix said a million times over that if she were not with child they would have killed her on the spot. That's what they did even with unintentional trespassing. She placed her hands on her flat stomach. _Won't be flat for long. What would my father say? _She snorted to herself. Robert Williams would have sold his daughter to the Italian mafia, but he hated the idea of her ever talking to boys of any age much less touching them or coming close enough to make a baby together. He was a bastard and at least she didn't have to worry about him ever finding her here. This baby was a miracle and she saved her mother's life never having met her.

She shifted her weight on the floor and looked at the shreds of sky that could be seen. The sun was sinking into late afternoon. Soon Jezarix will come and give her some food, then talk for a while. She would then pick herself up off the floor and change into her natural form. Sarah always marvelled at the smoothness of the transition. Jezarix' humanoid form seemed to melt into her reptilian one. It was like seeing living liquid flow from one mould into the other while changing the metallic colour and texture.

The sun slowly sank, drawing long shadows across the green. The large head of her guard lifted and silently bared his teeth. There was scratching and the rustle of foliage. Sarah shrank in on herself, as she saw three large fully grown shapes come across the room towards her. As they stepped into the dying light, Sarah gasped. She was expecting to see three large dragons, possibly come to pass judgment on her but she wasn't expecting to see was the gigantic bird like creatures with long thin necks and scaly wings folded on their backs. As they moved forward their beaks bobbed in time with their paces. Sarah stood and pressed herself into the crumbling wall behind her. The one on the left shoved its face into her and snapped its beak inches from her nose. She covered her mouth to try and muffle the shrike coming from her. She didn't know what they were but was deadly afraid to make any sudden sounds. A sharp command broke the tense silence and the bird like creatures backed away, hissing through their beaks. Sarah slumped against the wall in relief.

A tall man with a long white beard and even longer hair entered the room. He carried a staff which rose about a foot above his head. Sarah's skin crawled as the air crackled with electricity. "Wyvern lasha la strata. Movari ke' nacenda!" The bird creatures retreated farther into the shadows which grew thicker as time passed. The man came closer and leaned down, his face level with hers. "Ai posta, kaara?"

"Wh-what did you say?" Sarah tried to keep her eyes down, knowing that a dragon can be very touchy if you look directly at it.

"Ah, my dear. I apologize, I forgot about your heritage. How do you like my home?" He spoke smoothly, without the effects of an accent which was usually the case with people who spoke more then one language fluently.

"Your home?" Sarah asked, "I don't understand? Who are you?"

He laughed. "I am known as many things, my dear girl. You may call me Anivar for now. You are in Dranavix and will stay here until you give birth. At that time you will relinquish the child to us and judgment will be passed." His eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Sarah shook her head, not willing herself to believe it. "No! You won't have my baby. She's mine. I won't allow it."

"Do you think you have a choice, my dear?" he pointed one strong jointed finger at her belly. "That child saved your life. It belongs to me." She shook her head again, tears slipped down her cheeks. He whipped them off her face and said gently, "You don't have a choice, Sarah."

She jerked away from his fingers, and tried to slap him. He caught her wrist in an iron grip. "There is nothing you can do to me to make me consent." She felt warmth spread through her and she pushed with all her might against Ainvar. He fell back a few feet and glared at his palm. It was bruised and raw where it connected with Sarah's wrist. She looked at herself, expecting to see damage but saw nothing. She looked in shock at Ainvar and he smirked. "It seems that my suspicions were correct. You're the girl they want, everyone wants yet it is I who has you, my dear." he silenced her with a look. "No, you don't have to worry. Your child is safe. No one will take her from you." He shook his head in amazement. "You're so young. You haven't even survived twenty years and yet you're tangled in the center of all this. My dear, Annetha wants you, Jareth wants you, Antonio wants you and I want you. For all different reasons. Some are for lust, others are for love and power. My reason, however, is for none of those. I want your daughter; she will be powerful and eventual ruler of the underground. With her, the dragons will never have to fear again." He clenched his fist and opened it once more to reveal smooth and unmarred skin.

Sarah was speechless. _How did he know so much? And what did he care for Antonio? He was just another human, right? What is he?_ "How long for her to be ruler?"

"With my teachings… ten years, perhaps longer. At the age of fifteen she will be suitable to claim the throne." He scratched the base of his beard. "Yes," he spoke quietly almost as if to himself, "fifteen. The age when it began is the age when it will be finished."

"So we will be here for fifteen years?"

"We, my dear?"

She covered her belly again, "I won't leave her here. You said she won't be taken from me!"

He sighed. "That really isn't acceptable."

"It's going to have to be, I won't leave her here."

"And like I told you, you don't have a choice!"

"I stay!"

"No."

"Stop fighting!" They both turned to see Jezarix coming towards them. "Father, what is the point of arguing? Let her remain with her baby, it does no harm."

"Jezarix, you have no part in this, go!" He waved his staff at his daughter, attempting to discourage her. She stood her ground.

"What makes you think the dragons will accept the daughter of a fae? They don't want to have anything to do with them." She pointed at Sarah, "She is a human witch, and that's almost as bad as the fae. Keep the mother with the child and use them as leverage against one another. They should co-operate nicely."

Ainvar smirked through his beard as he glared down at Sarah. "Yes, I think that should work very well indeed."

_A month__ later…_

Morning sickness was in full effect. Nothing she ate would stay down and she was getting heavy dizzy spells. Sarah was not happy. She was a prisoner, never allowed more then a few hours away from the abandoned castle at a time. The old man never came back to see her. Jezarix would come everyday with something to eat and some other bit of conversation. Sarah found out from their gab sessions that she was four months pregnant, only two months farther along then Sarah. She had confessed that she was glad Sarah would be staying longer then first implied. The birth of children was rare for the dragons so all children in general were honoured and protected above all else. The woman who carries the child was treated with respect and held in very high regard. At this time, Jezarix was equivalent to a member of the royal family. Sarah was alive and that was more then what could be expected.

Jezarix entered the room carrying a plate of fresh fruits. Sarah was lying down on a soft blanket with a cold towel over her head. The heat from the desert penetrated the stone walls, locking it in. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm fine. It's this heat! I've never felt it before." She lifted her head off the blanket and dropped back down. "My head is spinning."

She knelt beside Sarah and re-moistened the cloth on her head. "Open your eyes for a moment. I need to see."

Sarah tried to and squinted into the dark. Jezarix frowned. "I don't like the look of this. You're very pale and thin. I think you're sick." Sarah just shook her head and let out a dry chuckle.

"I'm not sick, I'm pregnant. Humans fair differently from dragons, it seems. I'm not going though anything different then my mother did. Trust me." She rolled over onto her knees and bowed her head. "I am definitely envious of you though."

The dragon looked on in concern. "Are you sure you will be alright?"

Sarah smiled. "Promise."

Jezarix nodded and got up. "I'll see you later tonight to bring you some dinner."

"Bye."

Sarah was left alone once more. Some days were worse then others but she knew it would pass in half a dozen months.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter ****5: A Journey**

A small black puff of smoke rose from the ring, hiding Sarah's exact location. Thin green lines broke up the black smoke. Henry smiled to himself as he scribbled a quick note. Calling one of the servants who now held the place as his assistant he told them to take the note to Annetha.

"She'll be happy with my results at last."

OXO

Jareth was in trouble. Not that he would ever tell anyone about it, but he was also very stupid. Immediately after the coronation he left on horseback, but had not thought that his riding abilities would have become rusty after centuries of not doing it. His horse was easily spooked by one of the lily folk who changed form in front of it. Of course, Jareth had not been able to hang on as the animal reared and he fell to the ground. The lily girl laughed at his misfortune and scampered away. Jareth cursed all of the Underground creatures and pulled himself to his feet. He looked around. Having very little magic at his disposal created a slight problem; he could no longer sense the exact location of his domain. To say things in a more blatant term, Jareth, Goblin King of the Labyrinth was lost.

"Hello." A small squeaky voice said somewhere in the vicinity of his feet. Jareth looked down. "Are you lost?" the squeaky voice asked.

"Where are you?" Jareth demanded. He knew very well that nothing would even _think_ of harming the Goblin King. What he could not be sure of is would he be recognized. "Show yourself!"

A small furry creature that looked like a bright colourful dog with extra hair and fluffs on his tail scurried out of a hole next to the king's boot. "Hello." It said again.

Jareth bent down on his hunches to get a better look at the tiny creature. "Hello to you, as well." He held out his hand and the creature and it climbed on his hand. "My heart soars with pleasure to see your kind again."

The Fluffy, for that was the name of this kind of creature, shirked in anguish. "I am the last! My family was killed but I rejoice for I feel life within my body."

"Congratulations little one. I am sorry for your loss though. Can I help you with anything, my dear?"

The Fluffy shook its… her head. She squeaked again "You are lost. Maybe I can go with you to where ever you are going. I can keep you company until you find your way again."

Jareth smiled at the small thing. "I would love some company, may I ask your name?"

The Fluffy giggled. "You can call me Squeeks if you'd like. And yours?"

"You can call me Jareth. And it's nice to meet you Squeaks."

Squeeks giggles again. "Where are you heading to Jareth? I know where most places are."

"I'm going to the Labyrinth in the Goblin Kingdom."

Squeeks squeaked and shook slightly. "Oh no! Jareth, why on earth would you want to go there? I heard such dreadful things about the king there!"

Jareth had stood and started walking in no particular direction, stopped dead. He looked at the small thing in shook then started laughing. "Have no fear, little one. The Goblin King will not harm one of the Fluffies. They are too precious to the Underground."

The Fluffy stopped shaking so much to the point it was only a light tremor and looked into the Goblin King's face. "Do you promise?"

"I promise! If I am wrong I will personally take any wrath dealt to you by the King."

"Alright then. I shall take you the fastest way I know, but I still think your making a mistake! The goblin King will eat you alive if you cross him."

Jareth smirked. "I'm sure he will."

So it went; the tiny Fluffy, Squeeks leading the way to Jareth's own Kingdom. The small animal did indeed know a short cut when the normal travel time should have been two to three weeks, depending on the mode of transportation. They made it in one week by foot. At one point, they traveled for three days under the surface of the ground. Jareth suspected that was the reason for the shortness. There were mountains between the Kingdom of Scats and the Goblin Kingdom and they passed under them with ease. On the night of the seventh day, they approached the wall of the Labyrinth. Squeeks began to shake again. Even with the obvious promise from Jareth, she was terrified of the king.

"Squeeks, please try to relax." Jareth spotted Hoggle making his way toward his king. "You must calm down! I have something to explain-."

"King Jareth! Your back! Queen Annetha said not to expect you for another week at least!"

Squeeks looked at his journey buddy for a long moment then began to _purr._ "Your Majesty! You could have told me."

Jareth just sighed. "Alright Hobo, let me in."

"Jareth." Hoggle said warningly.

"_Hoggle!_" Jareth said in exasperation. Even his subjects feel like they have the right to correct him.

"That's better. Now come on sire."

They entered the labyrinth and Jareth took to the immediate right, walking through a hidden entrance. While his magics were near non existence, he will never lose his way in the Labyrinth. She was like a mother to him and he will always respect her like one. He let himself relax as he entered his domain. In next to no time, he was in his Audience Hall letting goblins mull over him in greeting. Squeeks disappeared a while back while they had been in the passage. Jareth wasn't sure on what to expect with the Fluffy but his spies would alert him to any mischief happening.

"Your Majesty. You have returned. Your sister has been notified and she wishes you to know that no farther progress has been made on the whereabouts of Lady Sarah except that she was in Dranavix when the ring left her possession." Jareth's vassal entered the room. He was Fae like other important servants but with a lower lineage then most. His mother was a dwarf while his father was a castle servant.

"Thank you, Sion, leave me, now."

Sion bowed and left quickly. He was one of the only Fae the king allowed to live in the Labyrinth. All others were considered visitors except for, of course, the physician and advisor. All of the population knew who the Goblin King was and they respected his need for privacy. Never again would he try to save a civilization whose life depended on a way of religion. He was Goblin King and that was enough.

A sharp pain in his chest signalled the return of his powers. _This is going to be painful! _He groped his way to his feet then stumbled his way to his chambers. The throne in the Audience Hall hid a passage that led directly to his private chambers. A few minutes later he was lying on his bed huddled in his pillows. Another sharp pain in his lower back caused him to cry out and lose consciousness.

OXO

Jareth woke with light from outside shinning in his face. A strand of blond hair came slowly into focus until he could see the individual strands. He sat up, feeling no pain whatsoever anywhere in his body. Looking in his reflection, he grinned. _My second growth. _His outward appearance remained unchanged but his aura was _stronger_. His abilities before were to make dreams come true in exchange for children. That was how he fed his magics. Now, however, he was able to make dreams come true for his subjects. All limitations that were placed on him were now removed. As long as he remained with in the boundaries of the Labyrinth he had total power over the elements, time, space, and emotion. It was an enormous responsibility but it was given to him for he knew how to handle it and how to respect power. His teacher had made sure that was ingrained into his heart. He called to his sister in the mirror and her beautiful face came into view.

"Annetha, I'm back."

She smiled and inclined her head, "I see that, my brother. Tell me what you found."

"My magics have returned." He couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice.

"I'm happy for you, truly I am. There is more news for you, brother. About Sarah." She looked worried and slightly mournful. "I've received information this morning about Dranavix. Ainvar is there. He's the leader and he's looking for recruits to train."

Jareth felt as if her were hit by a bucket of cold water. His old teacher in charge of Sarah and his child? It's only a matter of time before he finds out if he hasn't already. It would be disastrous for Sarah. He would break her and destroy her if he is given the chance.

He buried his face in his hands. There was no way to get to her now. No one in the Underground could even hope to go up against Ainvar, let alone take something back that was now in his possession.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter ****6: The Return**

_Fifteen long years has past since the disappearance of the young heir to the Kingdom of Scats. The new Queen, a daughter of the very Kingdom, was being prepared for the coronation in a more permanent position rather then temporary monarchy. Her son and her husband waited to bid her welcome. _

_The current high queen was being called forth to take up throne from her tired mother and stepfather, the Fae High Queen of the Underground and her consort. They waited patiently these past fifteen years, for those of immortal blood do not feel the pull of time as the mortal. But their patience has worn thin._

_The prodigal son, the once and future king has come to the Kingdom to represent himself and support his darling half sister. _

_Annetha paces, secretly hoping and secretly wishing that her chosen Heir will magically appear and make it in time for the ceremony to begin. It is unlikely for there are a mere three days left. _

_O_

_What the Cat Queen does not realize is that her chosen Heir was trained for this exact moment. She prepared all this time. With three days left, there is nothing else to do but complete the task given to her… and pass it off on to the waiting shoulders of her beautiful daughter. _

_How very beautiful she was, with her long dark hair, fair skin and striking eyes._

_One blue, one green._

OXO

Sarah looked over her shoulder at her fifteen year old daughter as she tried to catch up. She turned and placed one hand on her hip, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Maggie! Hurry up! There are three days left and we have to be there _now_! You know that! There will be other times for visiting, but _now_ is not the time."

Maggie, that is May Gwen when her mother was very angry, was chattering away in the high pitched speech of the Dragons. She spoke with ease and a slang which rattled on Sarah. While Sarah could far and away understand better then any other natural two-legger, she couldn't comprehend the slang which was filled with ear splitting vowels and half formed words and syllables. Her daughter, who was only a two-legger in body, was ever inch a dragon in that head of hers, and she constantly acted out as one as well.

She looked at her mother, shocked that she spoke English and not dragon. Sarah had tried to teach her daughter English and mostly succeeded, seeing as she would need it, but Maggie never practiced outside of the lessons. Most of her friends could speak the language but they preferred the obnoxious squallering language of Dranavix.

"_Mom, I was just saying good bye! Give me a break." _

_Oh goodness, help me! She doesn't even know when she's speaking the language! _"English! You know that! Now let's go. Do you want Ainvar to come here and punish you! I promise I will get him to do just that! It will be worse then the time when you had to pull stalk from all the orchards."

"_Fine!_ Is this better, mother? Let us go now." Maggie gave the small dragon one last hug and walked to her mother. Taking her by the hand, Sarah closed her eyes and focused on the Gardens she knew to be just behind the palace in the Scat Kingdom, she hoped no one was around as she did this. Sarah is a natural projectioness. She can send her soul to any location she has previously visited. However, after the fifteen years of studying with the dragons and learning some of their secrets, she learned how to vanish from one location, _physically_, and turn up in another. She can do that without all the glitter and glamour she had witnessed from some of the fae she knew. Wouldn't they be surprised when a little immortal human shows up by their front door with no other warning then just being there?

She concentrated on her destination, gripped her daughter's arm tighter and _pulled_-

When she opened her eyes again, her daughter was walking down a garden path and Annetha was just turning a corner. Her eyes widened slightly when they were met with ones she hasn't seen for one and a half decades. Surprise was written on Annetha's face, as clearly as it was one her own.

"Sarah…" Her name escaped the Queen and Sarah found herself engulfed in a hug by someone she hadn't noticed before.

"Jessie?" Sarah was filled with true happiness when she saw her friend. The shorter girl was gripping on to her lost friend then let loose a laugh, which was filled with self relief and joy. "Oh my, I can't believe it! How are you?"

"Oh Sarah! You're back, you're _here!_ I don't have to be Queen anymore!" Jessie looked so happy and relieved that her relief spread to Sarah.

_I don't have to fight for the throne after all! Thank goodness. _She looked to Annetha again, with a question in her eyes. Anne smiled and held out her arms. Sarah gratefully stepped into them and melted in the embrace. She was accepted again. Anne then held her at arms length to have a good look at her. "My Sarah, look how you've changed. You've learnt things that we would have never been able to teach you, my dear." She smiled again. "The throne awaits you, if you still want it?" The tension picked up slightly then snapped when Sarah stepped back. Anne's arms fell loosely by her sides.

"Oh Anne, you can't possibly know what I've been through." She shook her head. "I don't want your throne," Jessie howled a little at that. "But I have another candidate for you. She is half human but she is also a witch. Will that be sufficient?"

Anne looked surprised and Sarah beamed on the inside. She only wished her daughter was here to greet them. Anne nodded slowly. "That would be acceptable, surely. Who is this candidate? I would have to see her for myself before making any finale decisions."

Sarah frowned slightly, "Anne, she was here just a moment ago but when we saw you coming she took off down the path. I'm sure she wouldn't go too far but she is very adventurous. More so then I was at fifteen, I'm afraid."

"There, there. We will find her. For now, let's sit and talk. You can tell me all about the time you spent with the dragons."

Sarah frowned. She had believed they thought her dead. "Seeing as you knew I was there, why didn't you find a way to me? The first year was terrible; I was locked up and under guard for most of it."

Anne soothed. "I know, I know. But there was no way to get you. They would have killed us the moment we set foot in their territory. It's a miracle they let you go."

_Not quite. _

OXO

Jareth wandered aimlessly through his sister's gardens. He always had a liking to them. They subtly reminded him of their mother. As they very well should, seeing as their mother planted most of these by hand a good few millennia ago.

A shadow past in front of him and he turned to catch a glimpse of a girl with long dark hair. She was tantalizingly familiar. He followed her down a few paths and lost her again. He smiled to himself. It's been awhile since he played cat and mouse in a labyrinthine place. And even longer has it been when he was on the 'cat' end of cat and mouse. Though he never was a true mouse; he always teased and lured. More like a siren and a fisherman.

He found her again, just turning a corner. As he turned the corner it was nothing but a dead end. Now he was beginning to believe that this wasn't just some girl playing but she was trying to _play_ with him. He would have none of it. As he turned around, the garden, recognizing him as the Goblin King and Ruler of labyrinths in general, parted. He walked straight knowing when he got to the end the girl who seemed so familiar would be waiting for him. She had no where else to go.

There she was; crouched on the ground like a hunted animal. Her back was to him but her posture and hair brought his senses reeling. He reached out a shaky hand and touched her shoulder.

"…Sarah-." He whispered. The girl's head snapped up and she turned, wrenching herself from his hand. Startled eyes met his and his heart skipped a beat. "No." he breathed, denying what he was seeing for the first time. It was Sarah when she first came to the Labyrinth. The very first time she stole his heart and destroyed it. It was Sarah down to the few freckles which graced her nose, but for the eyes. They were not the brown, deep eyes that Sarah used to hold sway over him. The ones she used to seduce him. They were _his_ eyes. One blue and one green. His eyes, but that would mean…

She cut off his thought with a high pitched scream. She flung herself back and curled up on the ground, covering her head. Jareth felt her fear wash over him. She was trembling in fear and possibly even pain. He knelt by her side and tried to pull her in an upright position but she wouldn't stop squirming.

"Please! Girl you will stop this instance." She squeaked again, this time with varying pitches and Jareth realized she must be speaking. "Stop!" he all but yelled in her face. She shut up instantly and looked at him with apprehension. He sighed in relief. "Can you understand me?" he tried in a gentle voice.

She nodded her head and Jareth sighed again. _Maybe this won't be as hard as it appears. "_Can you speak?"

She hesitated then nodded again, relaxing a bit. Jareth waited for her to say something to prove that she can speak it. He didn't have to wait long. "My name is Maggie. I apologize for my actions, sir. I was under the impression you meant me harm for you would not let me in peace."

"Maggie, I am Jareth." He left out his title, hoping she would not become embarrassed. "I was merely curious for you reminded me of someone. Where is your mother?"

She looked startled and her face became guarded once more. "My mother?"

_Playing stupid when caught red handed I see. _Jareth shook his head. "I know who you are and who your mother is. I wish to speak with Sarah."

"She's speaking with the Queen-." She cut herself off and her eyes unfocused slightly. "No, she is on her way here. She heard me and thought I was hurt. Let me up please." She held out her hand and Jareth bemusedly got off the ground and pulled her to her feet. She quickly dusted herself off and turned to on of the paths which were once more accessible. Annetha came through with his heart's desire. Sarah looked thunderous, however and without a glance in his direction she walked up to her- _their_- child and pulled her into a hug. She was speaking rapidly in the same bizarre and high pitched language the girl was screaming in. They were whispers, however and somewhat pleasant to his ears.

Anne approached him. "Jareth, what happened? Sarah was livid."

Jareth could only nod at first but after a glare he added. "Of course she was. She believed her daughter to be in danger."

Anne looked startled and Jareth couldn't help but laugh. This day was far from finished with the surprises, he knew very well. His love hadn't even looked to him and anger was radiating from her every pore. No, there were plenty more to come.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter ****7: Eighteenth Birthday**

The party was a full blown success. It was the eighteenth birthday for Toby Williams and he was currently bar hopping with a group of friends. His mother and her husband wanted to give him a true coming of age birthday but he would have none of it. So here he was, dancing and grinding against a pretty blond who couldn't keep her hands off him. Yes, this was the life. Tony and James, his main 'babysitters' came by and grabbed him, dragging him away from the pretty blond and the dance floor toward the bar.

"Sit! Take a breather man!" James forced him to sit on a tall bar stool and he tried hard not too fall off. A shot glass filled with clear liquid was placed in front of him along with a salt shaker and a wedge of lemon. The bar tender grinned at him.

"On the house, for the birthday boy. You get one freebee." He winked and laughed at Toby's dazed look.

Tony nudged him. "Well you gonna drink it or do I get it?"

Toby laughed, "You wish buddy." He tried to ignore the fact that his words ran together almost unintelligibly. A lick of salt swig of tequila and a bite of lemon later and Toby was running for the toilets.

He tried very hard to _not_ sprawl on the floor in a drunken heap but after the unnumbered amount of drinks he fell into a drunken like trance. That was how the man found him, his arms thrown around the bowl of the toilet like a lover and trying in a vein attempt not to nod off.

He remembered vaguely the man picking him off the floor and taking him to the sink then he was seated in one of the booths, hands wrapped around a hot cup of coffee with a tall glass of water beside him. The stranger was still there, seated across from Toby.

"Well friend, here is to a happy coming of age isn't it?" As Toby's head began to clear and his vision sharpen he could see that the stranger was well dressed for someone who hung out at the bars and he had a slight accent. He sipped his coffee, grateful for this man and his remedies. The water was if he was feeling lightheaded from the coffee the stranger had explained. If Toby sobered up enough, then he had a better chance at not feeling the repercussions from tonight.

Toby looked around after his head cleared up more, still mostly ignoring what the other man was saying. He couldn't see anyone that he had arrived with. His 'babysitters' were no where in sight. He groaned.

"Feeling sick again my friend?" the stranger leaned over and touched his shoulder.

Toby shrugged him off. "No, its just my friends appear to have ditched me. I don't even know what time it is."

The stranger laughed. "Your friends are probably in the main room, we are in the back, it was easier to bring you here and have you sit down before you go comatose on us. They know you are here."

Toby was surprised at that. "Really? And they just let you bring me here?"

He smiled. "You are not worried are you Toby?" his smile didn't seem very friendly at all.

"How-."

"You told me yourself. I'm not surprised that you have forgotten."

"Who are you anyway?"

"My name is unimportant at this time however I am intrigued by you and would like to interview you, if you are interested?"

Toby guarded his face as well as he could and still appear to be casual while his vision still swam slightly. He had a feeling this man could be dangerous. "Interview me? Why?"

The man smiled his unfriendly smile again. "You have said a few very interesting things and I believe you have what it would take to do a very special job for me. I need someone of an open character and I am at a loss. Perhaps it was a miracle that I found you in the bathroom, hmm?"

"Yeah, thanks for that…" Toby was grateful that his friends didn't find him first or there would sure be a few pictures floating about.

"My card." A small rectangle of paper was pressed into his palm. "The address and time to meet me is on it, I hope to see you but it is your choice." The man stood suddenly and held out his hand to shake Toby's. "It was a pleasure to meet you young man and I hope to see you tomorrow. If I were you I would finished the coffee then go home to bed. You shouldn't feel any discomfort in the morning. Sleep well." And then he was gone. Just like that.

Toby took his advice and finished the coffee, when he tried to pay it was all taken care of. He found his friends dancing and having a grand time, telling them he had had enough and was going to take a taxi home. He would call James when he was home safe and sound so they could call their job well done. The idea of bed never sounded so good before.

OXO

The sun gleamed off the high windows of the building as Toby made his way down the street to stand before the entrance doors. Shaking off a feeling of foreboding he pushed on the rounding door and looked inside. It was tall clean and elegant. The harsh angels of the room gave it a crisp feel to it, the same kind of crispness as surgical instruments laid out in the tray. It also radiated the same type of dread, knowing you or someone else was about to be cut open.

Toby, not wishing to spend a lot of time in the lobby asked the receptionist at the front desk where to go. When he handed her the card the man from last night gave him a strange look came over her features; something between astonishment and dread and not at all pleasant. She directed him and Toby practically ran for the elevators. Life didn't seem to be looking up right now and the feeling of something wrong was increasing.

Toby walked down the hall on the eighth floor. It carried the same crisp clean feel as the lobby and it was unnerving. At the end of the hall a large desk sat in front of a pair of high doors. A pretty brunet was seated at the desk and talking on the phone. She looked up when Toby came into view and covered the mouth piece with one hand. "Have a seat, Mr. Straccitella will be with you shortly." She murmured something into the phone again and hung it up, then she spoke swiftly into the intercom. The answer was immediate and Toby was led through the double doors. The interior of the office was bright and airy with light wooded panels on the walls and the desk and tables of the same light oak colour. A tan leather couch was pushed against one wall and beside it was a tall drink cabinet. The same man from last night was lounging on the couch while another older man was seated behind the desk.

The man on the couch waved his arm at Toby, "See father, I told you he would come." He got up and held out a hand to be shaken, "Welcome Toby Williams. It's a pleasure to see you again."

Toby took the offered hand and responded to the best of his abilities. "For me as well." He turned to look at the other man.

He was impressive. He was tall and lean in a freshly pressed Italian suit and his dark hair was pulled neatly back into a pony tail.

"Benvenuto Toby. Welcome. My son has told me interesting things about you and I must say I am intrigued." He had a throaty voice mixed in it was a strong Italian accent. "Very intrigued."

Toby stood there awkwardly and somewhat embarrassed. What right did these men have to make things so uncomfortable for him! He barely contained his glare. "Since you both know me, I think its time I get some information like what is this interview for and who you are."

The man looking at him smiled. It was a look seen on a cat before it caught the mouse. "Have a seat, Toby." He gestured to the chair in front of the desk. "When my son told me about you I had you looked up. I know what school you went to, I know you live with your mother and her husband but I also know that man isn't your father. I know that your father was killed, murdered if you will, fifteen years ago, and that you had a sister who was likewise killed shortly before your father. Did you know any of this?"

Toby sat there with his mouth hanging open in shock. He barely remembered his father, let alone his sister though he knew he had one at one time or another. All he knew was that his mother left his father when he was around two years old and then his sister disappeared. She just vanished. His mother was furious with his father and when he died, she refused to go to the funeral but she did attend the burial for it was also a memorial for his sister.

Toby didn't answer. He was still lost in his own world and he didn't notice the look shared by father and son.

A slight nod was given by the father and the son stood up. "Toby, we know who killed your sister. Do you want to know?"

Toby nodded and the son bowed his head. "It was by a man named Jareth and he has a witch of a sister as well. Do you want revenge?"

Toby frowned. Revenge? That is a thing from movies and badly portrayed mafia shows. He looked at the man standing behind him and the one sitting in front of him. Perhaps it's not from badly portrayed shows at all. He realized who these people were and what they most likely wanted. He heard stories from his mother on the no good his father had done. He had also heard about the time his father attempted to sell his only daughter to the mafia to repay a dept. It must have been this man. It must have! He recalled the name the secretary used. _Straccitella. _Antonio Straccitella.The son's name jumped to his mind as well, it was Daniele Musciasco. One of the sons of Antonio. They didn't want Toby to gain revenge on his sister's killer, they want revenge on the one who allowed her to escape!

He looked to the door but Daniele had moved casually to stand between him and it. They were prepared. He had no choice, he had to do this or at least agree to do this. _Oh mother forgive me! I may not be coming home and I know what it will mean to you to lose your only child left. _It had hurt her badly when his sister vanished and she wasn't even aware that she was dead. It will nearly kill her when Toby doesn't show up at home and he can't let that happen.

He smiled at the men, artfully hiding all his inner turmoil. "I will be pleased to assist you gentlemen, however before we begin I will need to go home and explain a few things to my mother-."

Antonio cut him off with a wave of his hand. "It has been taken care of. I had some men tell your mother you have been hired as a summer resident with me. She understood and is extremely proud of you. I can well understand a parent's pride in a child."

Toby felt cold dread; these men had sent someone to his mother? Without him there? Was she alright, did they hurt her? All these thought swirled around in him head until he forcefully shook them out. "Well then Gentlemen, should we get going?"

"Of course." This was Daniele speaking now. "Stand up and come close to me." Toby did as he was told. "I don't suppose you've ever been to the Underground before, have you?"

Toby looked up sharply at that. The Underground, That was just a story his mother would tell him when he had nightmares of strange monsters and the ticking of a clock.

The younger man read his face accurately. "It's real." He whispered in a conspirator voice. "It's all real, down to the dragons and fairies. Close your eyes, it will be less disorientating. We have a coronation to get to."

The world as he knew it vanished.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8****: Can we work **_**it **_**out?**

Sarah tried her hardest to _not _look around at the very small audience. Her daughter was talking very fast when she suddenly stopped and shot a question at her mother. _"Who is he?" _

Sarah sighed. She knew this question would come and she had been waiting for it, however she didn't expect to see _him_ here and she sure didn't expect her daughter to meet up with him under these circumstances. _"His name is Jareth. He is the King of the Goblins in a kingdom far from here." _She took a deep breath and cautioned her daughter with her eyes, or tried to. _"He is also your father."_

"_What!" _the word was nearly unintelligible as Maggie hissed with surprise. _"Mother, you have a lot of explaining to do." _

"Yes? I do not believe I have anything to explain to a fifteen year old!" Sarah turned to Anne, still avoiding a certain set of eyes. "We are going to my rooms. I assume I still have them?"

Anne nodded and Jareth kept staring at her. "Good! We will be on our way."

Anne turned around, placing her hand on her brother's shoulder but he shook her off. "Sarah-."

"Don't" she cut him off. "Just don't."

His face became shuttered. "We have things to discuss, you and I."

"I know Jareth. And believe me, we will... just not _now_."

"Now." He didn't raise his voice but Sarah could tell the command. She wouldn't be able to hold him off for long but she didn't want to deal with both him and her daughter at the same time. She was nearing the end of her rope.

"No, not now. Anne, I'll see you later so we can finish our discussion." She turned to leave again but a low tenor flowed through the air behind her.

_Alas my love you do me wrong  
__To pass me off discourteously  
__And I have loved you so long  
__Delighting in your company _

Sarah turned to face Jareth and he looked sadly at her. "What more must I do for you? Are you always so demanding?"

She tried to answer but had to clear her throat. This isn't want she wanted. Why couldn't things just be left as they were? "Please, please I can't do this. I'm sorry?"

He smiled. "Was that a question? Sarah you have always-."

She cut him off from finishing that sentence. "Anne? Can you take Maggie to our rooms? Just show her the way and make sure she doesn't run off?"

"Of course, who am I but the high queen?" her words were bitter but her tone was understanding. Sarah didn't want to talk about this tender subject _at all_ much less in front of her daughter.

"Thanks." Sarah didn't turn to watch them leave. She stared at Jareth waiting for him to start again. He simply held out his arm and when she took it with a look of disapproval and he led her through the gardens.

He broke the silence by humming _Green Sleeves _and again the simple tune cut straight at Sarah's heart. She has been away from home for far too long.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked, perplexed as to what he was getting at.

"Is this not the same song that you held dear all those years ago?" he laughed humorlessly. "My dear, if it were not sung for some noble woman by her knight half a millennia ago, it would be written for you." He touched his chest. "By me. And instead of _Green Sleeves_, it would be titled C_ruel Eyes_."

_Cruel Eyes was all my joy_

_Cruel Eyes was my de-light _

_Cruel eyes was my heart of gold _

_And who but my lady-_

"Alright alright! You've made your point. I'm cruel, I'm heartless because I can't love you the way you want me to, I can't be what you want me to be." She was nearing her breaking point. Jareth just had too many high expectations for her... everyone had too many high- much too many high expectations for her. The pressure was almost too great.

Jareth smiled sadly again. "No, Sarah, it's not because you're heartless that your eyes are so cruel. It's because they say something different from what your mouth says. And yet your feelings say something contradictory to both."

Sarah sighed and pulled away from him, sitting on a bench indented in one of the hedges. She patted the spot beside her and Jareth sat, facing away from her. "You don't know what its like do you? And I don't suppose I'll be any good at explaining." She pulled a flower from the hedge beside her and started pulling it apart. "I'm not always the most careful when it comes to words, as you very well know. I wished my brother away on a silly whim, but I won him back against all odds. Then, when I most likely should have stayed here in the underground, I went back. My strange little family fell apart. My stepmother left and my father was deeply indebt. My father then tried to sell me off, selling me to be the wife of a hated, dangerous man. I again wanted something to happen. I wanted to be saved and it happened. For some unknown reason the Labyrinth herself pulled me from the Aboveground…

"Where I was trapped again in to the position of heir, which I don't want to fulfill." Sarah let the mutilated petals fall to the ground. "I ran from that only to be whisked away and into a realm where dragons hate everything to do with Fae and tried to kill me." She looked to Jareth. "Did you know that? Did you know they were planning to kill me but this man came forward and stopped them?"

Jareth looked speechless and he silently shook his head. Sarah laughed bitterly. "No I don't think you would. You probably thought I was _dead._ He gave me a condition. I give the teaching of my child to him and place her in a prominent position in the Underground. Do you think being Queen is good enough for them?"

Jareth seemed to find his voice. "Sarah, I didn't know. I knew you were transported to Dranavix when this came." He dug in his vest pocket and pulled out the crystal ring, hanging it to her. She took it cautiously. "We thought they would have killed you, but we had hope, though small as it was that they would see your condition and at the very least wait to…" he shook his head. "There are things we must talk about all through your ordeal. Things that, if you don't already, will make you hate me." He seemed to be trying to pass something along silently but Sarah couldn't pick up on it. She had been away for too long to pick up the full implications of his actions. They almost seemed strange now.

She had to look away. "I don't hate you. I never hated you." she whispered. "We said we would be friends but so many things have come between us." She chuckled slightly. "Like your sister. No matter how much I owe her, I despise her at times."

"Are you counting our daughter in 'things that have come between us'?" His tone was light but his eyes were cautious.

"Yes." She whispered.

He nodded his head. He understood obviously but just as obvious he wasn't going to give up either. "Just don't lock me out, Sarah. Like I said, you've treated me discourteously."

"Will you procced at my pace? It may be faster or slower then normal but I need to do things my way for a change."

Jareth grinned. "I'd pluck the moon from the sky if it gave us the slightest chance of working things out."

She looked at him and smiled suddenly. "We have a lot to work through. Can we do it?"

Jareth chuckled darkly at some hidden thought. "It depends on what 'it' will qualify for."

She shook her head and sighed. "You are just full of Aboveground slang aren't you? It's a wonder anyone here understands your way of thinking."

He shrugged. "I never said they understood."

She grinned suddenly and lent forward, kissing him fully. He tangled her in his arms eagerly, pulling him closer. She pulled away after breathless minutes. "I think we may just work something out after all."

Jareth looked calculating at her. "No seduction?"

Her grin grew. "No seduction, just us."

"I suddenly feel off my mark just now. How will I ever be the feared Goblin King if it's known I'm courting the little girl who beat my Labyrinth?"

"Ah ah, I thought I wasn't the only one to beat it."

"No, but you were the youngest, darling." He tapped her nose with his forefinger and she swatted him away.

She stood up, gesturing he should do the same. "We have to go. I have to make sure Maggie gets ready. She is to be coroneted in a few short days."

Jareth frowned slightly and offered her his arm again. "Are you sure she is ready? She's quite young…"

"She's only two years younger then I was when they wanted to crown _me!_ Yes, she's ready. She has been training for this for fifteen years under the best man for the job, or so he always boasted to me." She answered his frown with one of her own. "Ainvar was professional in his teachings and he even consented for me to learn as well, though not all of what Maggie was taught was taught to me as well."

"Ainvar? Ainvar trained you? What is he up to now?" He shook his head. "Oh Sarah, I am truly sorry."

"You should be, but what is it this time?"

But he never got a chance to answer her, for at that time they came to the beginning of the garden maze and met up with two other people. One seeming slightly familiar like when someone has the same hair style or shade and the other was a complete stranger.

"Sarah!" She turned to the stranger and frowned, staring into clear blue eyes. Recognition hit her like a bag of cat food.

"T-Toby?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter**** 9: Family Reunion**

Toby felt minimal discomfort when they were standing on solid ground again. They were outside a castle so grand that is put Buckingham Palace to shame. Floral gardens wound in a delicate maze around the side and in towards the back, curling around the alcoves and into court yards. Pale rose tinted stone made up the structure with intricate designs surrounding the doors and windows. Daniele's firm grip on Toby's arm slackened and Toby drew away from him intending to follow one of the garden paths.

"This way, Toby. We must first pay the Queen a visit." He strode into the palace and past guards standing at attention. Maybe they were just there for decorative purposes for they didn't try to stop the two as they intruded. The palace was mostly stonework but with tapestries depicting stories or legends draped on the walls. Toby couldn't get enough and his eyes thirsted for more. He paused to look closer at one of a dark haired girl running from a monstrous contraption, her head turned, looking back behind her. A small man was her only companion as they ran down a dusty corridor. Daniele called back his attention, "Toby, hurry."

They came across a small girl holding a boy of about eight by his hand. Her eyes were vibrant yellow and silted pupils. She frowned when she saw them and asked of Daniele "What are you doing here? I thought you were banished?"

He faked a yawn. "Oh that. No it wasn't extended to the family just to my father and older brother. I came to witness the coronation for I heard that you were to be crowned my pretty." His bored expression turned playful and he winked. The girl just pulled away and rolled her eyes.

"If that were so, then you have no right to touch me! I might just decide to tell Annetha about this. She'll see to it that you are escorted back Above."

"I don't think Annetha has that power do you? And be at peace. I'm only here to act as witness for my father. He has a message to be delivered to the new Queen."

"I don't want to know what that may be and I don't care. I'll take you to Annetha. She _does_ still have the power to deal with vermin like you." The girl tightened her hand on the boy and cast a disgusted look at Toby and turned away, walking briskly.

She took them to a long corridor and led them to the end, in front of a set of double doors. She knocked softly and the door opened. "Your Majesty. I'm sorry for the interruption but you have a messenger here I believe you will want to deal with."

Inside a musical voice drifted out. "Come in then." They entered the room. It was a single large bedroom. The main focus was a large fireplace with couches spaced in front of it. "I see. What does Antonio want this time, Daniele?" the voice came from the couch. A golden haired beauty who couldn't possibly be human owned it.

Daniele, for the first time, bowed. "Your highness, please excuse us. I had hoped to speak to the heir of the throne. There are things my father wishes to know but Jessie," he motioned to her, "said she was no longer in that position. I believe it is human's rule this time, have you found one?"

A girl, one who was over-looked previously, sat up straighter on the opposite couch. Toby couldn't believe what he was seeing. Of course he had seen pictures of his sister and himself when they were younger. They were always playing or Sarah was holding him and reading a large picture book. That was near seventeen years ago and this girl looked the exact same. He couldn't stop the involuntary step forward or the whispered "Sarah," from escaping. A quick look at Daniele's shocked face also meant he was not expecting to see the girl.

She frowned. "Why is everyone calling me that? Do I look like her? No! Not at all!" She turned to Daniele. "You had something to say to me? Well then say it!"

Annetha cut across whatever Daniele was planning to say. "Maggie, you need to be more formal when addressing a messenger. Ask again."

She sighed and did so. "What was the message you had for me, Sir?" Annetha nodded her approval and looked toward Daniele.

His shock still evident on his face and he seemed unable to speak. Annetha sighed. "Do you know, boy?"

Toby shook his head from side to side, also unable to take his eyes off the girl. "I'm sorry if I seem rude. You look a lot like a woman named Sarah Williams. I was surprised, that's all."

She flipped her hair in annoyance. "Yes everyone says that I look like my mother though I don't see it. I see myself mostly as… myself."

Toby's eyes bugged, "Your mother? Your mother is Sarah Williams? Where is she?"

Maggie shrugged. "In the garden still I think. But she better get here soon or- hey! Where are you going?" she shouted at him but it was no use.

Toby was already out the door and down the hall, looking for a way into the gardens. He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at Daniele. "I have to see her!"

The man nodded. "I know, that was who I was going to try and find information about. My father's orders but it's not a good thing that she's still alive, Toby. If my father finds out about this, she won't live for long."

Toby frowned at him. "What do you care? I know the reason why you wanted me and it wasn't because you found me passed out around a toilet. You wanted to know why my sister wasn't there for whatever you planned with her and you killed my dad for it!"

Daniele tensed and turned rapidly, walking away. He paused and came hurrying back to Toby. "I don't want her dead! I wouldn't want her dead! Ever! But my father does and my brother does." He gripped Toby's shoulder. "How do you think she got away? The Goblin King and Robert Williams set everything up! With _my _help." He shook his head. "I have no idea what we will find. She was dead. Fifteen years ago she was dead!"

Toby took a step back. "There is no way. Look at you. You can't be more then three or four years older then me, there is no way."

"I'm not human!" he growled out. "Do you think humans could part the boundaries between the Underground and the Above? Of course not!" he grabbed Toby's arm again. "Come on and let's see your sister."

Toby pulled free again and easily kept pace with the long strides of the other man. They walked through the palace and into a courtyard where the hedges began. Quiet voices floated around the first entrance they came to and a man and woman came in to view, arm in arm. They stopped talking and stood frozen, staring at the two men. Toby was the first to recover looking at the sister he never remembered meeting but she was still recognizable from her pictures seventeen years ago. "Sarah!"

She looked at him in confusion then her face lightened drastically. "Toby?"

Sarah went to move forward but the man at her side held her back. "Hello Daniele." He said in a deep smooth voice. "Good of you to bring young Toby to us. How is your father?"

Daniele tilted his head in acknowledgment. "King Jareth. My father is well… for now. You know how things can be." He smiled a tight lipped smile.

Jareth released Toby's sister and moved to embrace Daniele. Sarah's mouth dropped open.

"Wait! Daniele? I know that name! You're the brother of Marco, right? But you're here, your Fae?" Her voice raised a few octaves on the last word.

OXO

Sarah felt her throat close up. If he's Fae does that mean they all were? Does that mean they can come get her here? She felt the others looking at her but she could no longer see them. She was losing control of her senses, something she had only done a few time at the very beginning of her training. A hand came to rest on her shoulder but she couldn't see who it was. Her soul was struggling to get away and it took all of her failing power to keep herself grounded. Arms wrapped around her and pulled her against a solid chest. Lips at her ears, whispering to her saying everything will be fine. Her body relaxed and she looked up into Jareth's face.

"They found me, haven't they?" She couldn't keep her voice from breaking. Jareth tightened his arms in response.

"No, they haven't. I told you that we have plenty to discuss and we only touched the tip of it in relation to us. Love, perhaps this should wait until after the coronation, Maggie is waiting for you to help her get ready." His logic helped calm Sarah and the fact that they haven't found her was good news.

Sarah looked at her brother for a long moment, trying to memorize his face. She smiled at him. "Toby, come here." He came and she enfolded him in a hug. "Oh there is so much to tell you! I'm so sorry. Everyone must think I'm dead. Poor Karen, is she alright? Have you heard from father?"

Toby looked confused. "Mom is fine. But you haven't heard? Robert was killed a year after you disappeared."

Sarah frowned. She couldn't accept it. He was dead? The last of her family was gone for good? How was she supposed to feel? She shook her head to clear it. "We can talk about this later. Now I have to go see my daughter and make sure she is alright." Sarah took a firm grip of Toby and led him to the rooms her daughter was waiting in. Jareth and Daniele stayed behind. "Toby, what are you doing with him?" she asked when they were out of hearing range. "He's very dangerous."

Toby snorted, "You don't have to tell me that. He already threatened my mom if I didn't go along with what they were planning, but I guess most of that was his father."

"His father?" Sarah was confused. The Musciasco brothers didn't have a father, or that was what the press led them to believe.

"His father, yeah. Antonio Straccitella. Didn't… oh they didn't know that when you disappeared did they? It was uncovered a while ago. I did a report on their family when I was in my final year at school."

She didn't know what to say to that. Toby was very much aware of politics for someone his age and he didn't have a father who made sure they paid attention to things like that. She changed the subject. "You didn't seem surprised when I said I had a daughter. Why?"

He shrugged. "I met her, I think. I called her 'Sarah' and she got mad at me. Her name is Maggie right? Does this mean I'm an uncle?"

"Yes to both. It doesn't bother you that she's only a few years younger then you?" Sarah was trying to gage his reaction but he was doing a good job of being calm.

"No, should it?"

"I don't know, shouldn't it? But then, you probably don't even remember me… you were just a baby."

He shrugged again. "Everything is different here. Is that man, Jareth? Is he the father?"

Sarah nodded. "I haven't seen him since she was conceived," He shuttered, "I came back this morning."

"Please you don't have to give me the details."

"I didn't! That was no where near descriptive."

"But still…" they looked at each other and grinned. Blood brought people closer together even if only one of them remembers their last encounter.

They made it to where Maggie and Annetha were waiting. Sarah opened the door without knocking and ushered Toby into the room. Annetha smiled and Maggie looked up surprised.

"_What's he doing here?"_ She asked in her primary language.

"Maggie, English please. It's rude in front of people."

She sighed. "What is he doing here?"

"That's better." Sarah laid a hand on Toby's shoulder. "This is Toby Williams. He is my baby brother."

"Hey!" he interrupted. "I'm taller then you!"

"Oh but darling, I'm older and _stronger_ then you."

He mumbled, "You don't look it."

She smiled fondly at him then turned to Anne. "Anne, can you take him Aboveground? I don't want him to stay here. I don't even know how long he's been here! What if he changes?"

Anne frowned. "I can't take him. I could take you because you already started to change. But he's fully human, I don't know if he could handle it. I'm not gentle as you know."

"But he can't stay here! He still has family!"

"Peace. Sarah, they only arrived an hour ago. Let him stay for the ball tonight and then you can ask my brother, or Daniele who is the one who brought him after all, if they can return him."

Sarah conceded with a small sigh. "Alright, I can tell when I'm being overly motherly." She looked at Maggie who had yet to change into her gown. "Well darling, what do you think? Should we get you dressed or not?"

Maggie grinned. "Why mother, I do believe you are right."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter ****10: Cinderella**

Toby's watched as the festivities took place around him. How he ended up in a fairytale was anyone's guess. He didn't even recall a tornado whisking him and Daniele away. He watched in shock and amazement as Sarah glided smoothly around the dance floor attached to the arm of the imposing tall blond. His sister was… alive and happy by the looks of it. He used to badger his mom to tell him stories about Sarah and his father. She was very reserved with what she told him about the latter but with Sarah… her stories were vibrant and seemed so real he could touch them. She told him a story about a beautiful young girl who was always made to stay home with the baby. He always thought that this was the most fictional of them all but seeing her in the arms of the reputed Goblin King, Toby decided that that one story might have been the most real. The other girl, his niece, sat beside him. Her eyes were following the same couple as his. The expression on her face, however, was not one of bewilderment like on his but one of pleasure and a sneakiness that really shouldn't have been there. Toby leaned over and spoke to her.

"What are you thinking?" he asked with a level of authority since she was three years his junior.

Maggie looked at him and flashed a quick smile. "My parents. Aren't they magical together?"

Toby frowned slightly. "They're not even together. Not really anyway. Sarah told me she wasn't married…"

"And I doubt that she would ever get married but look at them. They love each other."

"And? Look at those two," Toby pointed to another couple twirling a few meters away from Sarah and Jareth. It was Jessie and her husband, Mitchell. They had been dancing from the start and had hardly looked away from the other. Their bodies moved seamlessly together as if they were meant to be. "They seem to be even more in love…"

Maggie scoffed. "They only seem like that because they are _spiritually_ joined. What my parents have is something… deeper and more profound then that. It's like the two scats were only meant to be together for one lifetime. _They,_" meaning Sarah and Jareth, "are meant to be together _every_ lifetime."

Toby resisted the urge to scratch his head. "How would you know?"

She turned and smiled. "My teacher, Ainvar, taught me to see connection within people. My mom didn't get those lessons or she would have had access to her past lives. She's had only two. This one and her first life when she lived as a princess during the time of King Arthur."

Toby wrinkled his nose. "Can you see my past life?"

Maggie's smile was heart-breakingly sweet. "I can but I won't tell you. In your case, it would only distract you. Maybe one day I'll tell you."

Toby rolled his eyes. "Alright then." He looked at the dance floor then at his niece. "Would it be weird if I asked you to dance? I can understand if you wouldn't want to…"

"Of course it wouldn't. It would be rude if you didn't ask." Maggie stood and held out her hand. "Let's go rock the floor uncle!"

"Ugh, that makes me feel _old!_"

OXO

Sarah leaned on the supportive shoulder of her partner. Dancing in Jareth's arms is something that she hoped she would never get used to. Getting used to something meant that it was becoming a habit or a routine. Dancing was something she didn't ever want to grow tired of. They swayed side to side in a fluid motion. Her hips flowed in time with his as the pressure of his hand on her waist directed her to where they traveled next. She only needed the lightest possible touch, she was so attuned to him.

She glanced at his face, the smooth line of his jaw and the cut of his eyes and nose. He looked down and flashed her a smile. He was happy, it seemed, for the first time in a very long while. Annetha had taken her aside to warn her of the depression Jareth seemed to undergo when she was thought to be killed. Sarah felt guilt at first then a rush of unexplained joy. She truly did love him. All that second guess work and running away for nothing. Now all she felt guilty for is how great a father he could have been but hasn't been able to prove. She tried her best with May Gwen but there was only so much a single mother could do. They got into more fights and some were bad enough for Sarah to fear that she had lost her daughter's trust and belief. But they managed to pull through and become a small but happy family.

Speaking of Maggie… Sarah spied her approaching the dance floor with Toby. She hid a smile in Jareth's shoulder and when he looked down and silently questioned her she inconspicuously pointed to the pair. Jareth looked then chuckled.

"It seems that Toby needs some lessons in dancing." He whispered in her ear.

Sarah shivered deliciously and nodded. "Yes, I think he does but so does Maggie. Look, she's trying to lead."

They continued their whispered commentary and when the song ended, neither of them stopped swaying. They kept moving through the titters and laughs of the court until the next song started up.

Finally Sarah stumbled slightly and Jareth led her to her seat then went to fetch a drink. Sarah scanned the floor until she saw her daughter in the arms of another man while Toby was flirting with some of the lily sprites.

Sarah was frowning by the time Jareth returned.

"What is it?" he muttered as he sat, handing her the goblet of wine and setting down his own cup as well as the flagon he carried.

"Toby abandoned my daughter to the lecherous advances of that man." Sarah growled out.

"What man?" Jareth questioned as he too searched the floor. He found them quickly and let out a laugh. "My dear, that's not a lecher. That barely a man! That's Shawn my dear, Jessie and Mitchell's oldest child."

Sarah had the time to appear bug eyed for a brief moment until she hit Jareth in the arm, "Don't lie to me! That can't be! He would be sixteen at most."

Jareth chuckled. "Scats mature at a faster pace… much _much_ faster…."

Sarah felt her face go red. "I don't think I like this Jareth!" She said a bit panicky.

Jareth sighed. "Don't worry. Shawn has better sense then his parents. He will find a nice healthy Scat woman to join with then have a family. There is no way he would risk his culture by joining with a half human fae…" he looked sideways at Sarah, "nor the daughter of the reputed Sarah Williams…"

She took up her wine and sipped it. "I guess your right. What about Toby?"

OXO

Toby grinned at the giggling girl. He leaned forward and sniffed her hair to prove his point. "Just like lilies! I knew that fragrance was familiar."

Brena, the lily girl, blushed a rosy red. "Are you truly Lady Sarah's younger brother?" she asked with a coy flick of her eye lash.

Toby blinked at her, not having heard her as his eyes were glued to her cheeks where the pink enhanced the porcelain complexion and the slow movement of her lashes.

She giggled again. "Well are you?"

"Am I what?"

"The younger brother of Lady Sarah, silly." She mockingly hit him on his arm.

He shook himself lightly. "Yes I am, well we share the same father. He married my mother a few years after Sarah's mother passed away… Why do you ask?"

Brena looked down. "I was wondering if you were the babe…"

"Who?"

"The babe. The child she journeyed to the centre of the labyrinth for. We all know this story."

Toby frowned, no longer finding the girl's looks to be a distraction. "Why on earth would she have to journey to the centre of a labyrinth for me?"

Brena looked in horror, "You didn't know? You didn't know that she wished you away when you were only a bouncing babe?"

Toby shook his head, "No I had no idea," he looked over to the table in which now sat Sarah and Jareth. He tried not to glare but he was pretty sure they didn't see him anyway. He turned back to Brena. "Lady Brena, may I have this dance?"

She giggled once more before she swept him in a fast joyous dance. It was all Toby could do to not stumble over his feet. He passed Maggie who was twirling with ease and felt a stab of jealously but nothing overly malicious. She knew these dances and has probably been dancing them for years already.

Brena, the beautiful lily sprite that he befriended, spun around him, her white dress flaring out around her legs.

OXO

Sarah poured herself another glass of wine from the flagon. Jareth had disappeared a few minutes ago to find Daniele. It was almost time for Toby to get back home. Maggie was dancing and Sarah was pleased to note that her lessons had come in hand after all.

Toby was still flirting with the lily sprite whom Sarah was fairly sure she recognized from her welcoming ball. Brena was the girl's name if she was correct and the girl didn't look like she aged one day since. Sarah had thought the surprises would stop coming to her but she was dreadfully mistaken.

Jareth entered the ballroom again with Daniele in tow. He motioned over to the dance floor and Daniele took off in that direction. Jareth made his way over to Sarah.

"Come, my dear. It's time." Sarah glanced at the clock. It read 12:35. They had twenty five minutes before midnight. "Daniele is collecting Toby." He nodded his head in the other direction. "Maggie comes now."

Sarah stood. "Let's get this over with."

The five of them traversed the halls until they arrived at Henry's office. His office was the closest and the easiest to get into to. He didn't usually bar his office against intruders even after the infamous Jessie affair and the burning of the tapestries. Toby was looking around in amazement at the semi-disorganized atmosphere. Maggie just followed meekly and quietly.

Toby turned around and looked at everyone. "So is this my goodbye committee?"

Sarah was the first to speak. "You can't tell Karen any of this. I'm sorry because it probably seems like your deceiving her but its necessary. If she knew the truth, that would put her in danger."

Toby flinched away from that. "She's already in danger! The mafia already got to her."

Daniele laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "She won't have any harm befall her, not if you put up the illusion of helping us. I'll protect you from going in too deep but you need the front of at least trying to cooperate."

"If things get too rough all you have to do is call someone to you. One of us should be able to make it."

Toby looked from Jareth to Daniele to Sarah. All having the same concerned face. He shook his head. "I still can't believe you're alive." He muttered to Sarah. "You've been gone for so long…"

"I'm not coming back." Sarah said sadly. "I can't. So no one can know I still exist."

Toby nodded. "Yeah I got it." He looked at the clock and squinted. "Does that really say thirteen o'clock?"

Jareth turned. "Well technically it's one minute to. It's time to go."

Toby whistled lowly. "No wonder I feel like Cinderella. No one would believe me if I wanted to tell anyway…" Quick goodbyes later and Daniele took Toby's hand and they vanished in a shower of silvery glitter. Sarah sighed and leaned against Jareth for support.

"Shall I escort you and Maggie to your room?" He asked softly.

Sarah smiled and closed her eyes. "Please…"

The halls were quiet but music and laughter could still be heard from the ball room. The fae did indeed enjoy their parties. The servants' quarters were silent. A few of the rooms were occupied except one. The bedroom in which Sarah had once shared with Fern and Jessie now belonged to three new girls. They were in charge of the cleanup and were permitted to sleep late in the morning. The position of chambermistress was filled adequately by Mel but she opted not to stay in the designated rooms for that position. Instead she opted to have the room at the very end of the hall. It was the smallest and the only other girl in there was moved into the one across from it. Her reasoning was that the servants couldn't sneak away as easily or as unnoticed as before. The chambers at the end of the hall have remained empty since Sarah.

Jareth stopped at the door and Maggie disappeared inside. Sarah waited for a moment. "Thank you, Jareth, for everything."

"Your very welcome my dear. Sleep well, Sarah." He leaned in and kissed her once on the forehead. He smiled softly and turned away, preparing to leave. A clearing of a throat brought him up short. He looked back, "Yes?"

He was suddenly assaulted. Sarah pressed her lips hard to his and tugged slightly with her teeth when he didn't respond. He chuckled and wrapped her in his arms.

A moment later they pulled away breathless. "You didn't think I would let you leave without a proper goodnight kiss now did you?" She asked.

"Of course not." Jareth agreed. "Good night, love."

"Good night." She followed her daughter to bed and Jareth made his way out of the corridor. The last door on the left opened and a head popped out.

"Next time just ask to stay the night! It would be quieter!" Mel scolded the king. Light giggles were coming from behind the other closed doors.

At least Jareth had the decency to leave without comment. No need to get on the wrong side of the woman in charge delegating the making of his bed…

OXO

Maggie brushed out her hair and braided it for night. Her mother was soaking in a tub behind a privacy screen. All that could be seen was her head that was thrown back.

"_Mother?"_ she asked quietly in Dranavix. _"I like these people…"_

Sarah opened her eyes and looked at Maggie. _"I do too,"_ she replied in the same language. _"What brought this on?"_

Maggie looked down. _"I don't think I can betray them…"_

Sarah sighed. _" oh that. You don't have to worry about that darling." _

"_But Ainvar said-." _

"_Don't listen to him. He says a lot of things. He won't bother you. All he wants to do it try and give the dragons a voice that wasn't there before. You will do that, especially once you invite them to come to court." _

"_Why did he go through all that trouble to get me though? Even before I was born…" _

Sarah smiled bitterly. _"That was my fault not yours. He didn't know who I was until I told them. I had just found out I was pregnant with you when I was brought there. He saw the opportunity and took it, that's all." _

"_Is he the bad guy?"_

"No Maggie. He's not the bad guy. The bad guys are the ones who forced your uncle to hunt us. The bad guys are Antonio and Marco and Robert. That's all." Sarah climbed out of the tub and pulled a sleeping gown over her wet skin. She moved to sit at the mirror. "Go to sleep dear. It'll be morning before you know it and its just two more days until your coronation."

"Yes mom. I can't believe I'll be queen…"

"And I don't envy you a bit. Go to bed." She had started to untangle her hair. Maggie sighed and climbed into the big bed, moving to the far end so her mother could get in unobstructed. The pillows were soft as was the blankets and Maggie fell asleep almost immediately.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Coronation of the New Queen of Scats**

"At noon you'll sit down to a luncheon with the present monarchs. Jareth will be there so he can stop you from doing anything too outrageous. At two, you have to meet with the seamstress. She's going to alter Jessie's gown to fit you which shouldn't take to much work. At three thirty, you need to be present when Jessie gives audience to some of the subjects for one hour after which you have another two to spend on your own time- meaning it will be spent with Annetha while she gives you some pointers on this kingdom. Finally, at five you'll sit down to a quiet dinner with the current queen, her husband and oldest son, your father and I and Anne. Any questions?" Sarah asked her daughter sitting across from her at the small breakfast table.

Maggie just groaned and dropped her head to the table, feeling the butterflies in her tummy, flutter harder. "You know sweetie," Sarah stated, setting down the piece of parchment with a million and one different things written on it, "this isn't going to get any easier as time goes on. Your time is no longer your own."

"Yes I know. After tomorrow I will no longer belong to myself but to the people. Yada yada."

Sarah grinned, "I just wanted to make sure you knew what you are getting into."

"Mom, you're not helping!"

Annetha cleared her throat from her spot at the table. "You two speak as if there was a choice."

"There was no choice. You know Maggie was trained by Ainvar and he is very adamant that she sits upon this throne." Sarah said quietly.

"But," Anne finished, "he doesn't know that you still feel loyalty to me and my brother. He trusted you not to tell us anything."

"That's about right. His biggest mistake was threatening me with my baby."

The high queen shrugged. "No harm, no foul."

Maggie looked between the two women, not fully understanding what had just passed.

OXO

Lunch was the most interesting affair. Maggie was separated from her mother for the first time since they arrived in the kingdom and she loved it. Her companion to the right was King Jareth of the Goblins and, of course, her father. The king on her right was a strange looking man. His face was slightly squished and he had very long hair at his temples and on his hands. He was the Monkey King with no real name but galleons of respect. He wore a leopard pelt instead of the normal style and beside his chair was a long gold staff with red rings around the tips. He used his hands to pull apart the fruit piled on his plate.

The other guests included; Queen Annetha, High Queen of SanSare; King Briie, the Skree monarch, he was Fae like most other kings and queens but he had a decidedly bird-ish qualities; Queen Seleal, the ruler of the giants; Queen Jena of the Lily Sprites; King Leo of the Changelings. This one shocked Maggie a bit for he wasn't a fae or a changeling like his kingdom indicated. He was an elemental. Queen Rusha of the Glen was the last one present the Maggie was introduced to. She had no other title for her people were plants and trees. She was a mystic and communed with nature. The natural life of the Underground was connected to the Aboveground as well as Dranavix and the other isolated realms. If natural life began to fail in one realm then they all failed so her task was to stabilize nature.

Maggie was in the process of listening to the wise words of the Monkey King. He reached up and plucked a strand of hair from his head. "Did you know, May Gwen, that a single strand of hair from a creature that can shift its flesh can maintain a true and solid illusion?"

The strand of brown hair glittered and flashed with an inner light and Maggie reached out to take it gently from his hand. "I did know that, your Majesty. Did _you_ know that in one strand holds the essence of the being it was taken from? Old memories and family secrets can be unlocked with the least amount of difficulty." Maggie focused on the strand and felt the rise of temperature. She let the images dance in front of her eyes, doubling over the image of the dinning table. She smiled suddenly and the hair burnt to nothingness between her fingers. "You have the most interesting heritage."

Monkey suddenly laughed and banged the table. "Jareth, your daughter is a pleasure! She has your style!"

Jareth smiled and nodded. "I was unaware of her possession of the sight, however. It seems to have bread true once more."

Maggie smiled under the attention and traded tips and tricks with the old Chinese legend.

OXO

The seamstress was boring and her arms hurt from holding them up. The woman, an ageing scat, was tisking about the waist of the gown. "You have not enough bust to be eating so much. Perhaps you should restrict yourself to the diet of the fae and not of the scats when you reign here."

Maggie just rolled her eyes. She was warned that the seamstress had very rigid opinions about the body but that Maggie's only concern should be that the dress wasn't too tight.

Maggie's leggings were pulled down and the woman gasped. "Those legs are covered in scrapes and bruises!"

She sighed and shook her head sadly. Who ever heard of growing up in a dessert and not acquiring a few cuts?

OXO

The dinner that evening was intimate with just family. Maggie's dinner partner was Shawn, the eldest son of Jessie and Mitchell. Jareth was seated with Sarah and they kept up a light flirtation that made Maggie preen. Annetha spoke to Jessie while Mitchell pestered Sarah for some attention.

He mocked her. "You're wide open," he said. "You need to pay more attention to your blocking!"

Sarah sighed and turned away from Jareth. "Mitch, you are no longer my instructor and I find it to my advantage to remain open and unblocked. If I block then I can't use the more subtle nuances available to me."

He shook his head. "It's an alien thought to me, Sarah. You give me a bad reputation."

"You do that yourself Mitch." Jareth defended. "I think she is working the magic just fine. It's working with me no problem."

Mitchell sat back and pouted into his plate. "It would work on you if she was swinging a fish from one hand and slinging rocks with the other," he mumbled. Maggie had to stifle a laugh. She caught Shawn's eye and he grinned openly, aware of his father's particularities.

OXO

The next day dawned too bright and early for Maggie but she still got up and bathed. Sarah helped her twist her hair into a neat roll at the back of her head and dress in the undergarments that matched the dress. The seamstress entered the room with the dress draped over one arm.

"Oh, Em, there you are! I was thinking we were going to have to send out a search party." Sarah called to the seamstress.

Em entered the room and set about analyzing Maggie. The woman tutted about waist lines again and Sarah just shrugged, shaking her head. They each took half the dress and wrapped it around Maggie, tying up the sides with ribbon and arranged the material to flow. When they were done, Maggie stared at herself in the mirror. The dress was large and bulky and _fluffy_. Maggie didn't particularly appreciate it but the material was beautiful. It rustled and flowed over her legs like a spring breeze. Maggie twirled and giggled when it spiraled up.

Sarah sat back and raised her eyebrows. "Well, it definitely looks like a coronation gown."

Em glared at her. "At least it's not heavy. I could have made it heavy and _hot._ But I thought the young lady would appreciate comfort."

Maggie nodded gratefully. "Thank you!"

"Humph," was all she said.

Sarah looked at the clock. "We better get going. Come on darling. Tonight, you sleep in the royal apartments."

"I like it here," she grumbled.

Sarah laughed, "Come on squirt. Let's go."

The chapel in which the coronation was to take place was filled to the brim. Sarah slipped in the back and Maggie was led by Annetha and Jareth to a chamber just off from the front. She was in the process of taking deep breaths when another woman entered the room. She was tall and imposing with a shock of red hair. Fae were normally fair and blond but this one had fiery hair and eyes and a healthy, olive skin tone. She smiled at the people joined together. Maggie saw Annetha roll her eyes and Jareth's mouth drop open.

"Mother?" Jareth stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello Jareth. No greeting for me Anne?" her voice was just as beautiful and mysterious as her looks.

"Mother." Annetha inclined her head slightly.

The woman looked at Maggie and nodded. "Good enough. Let's begin." And she left the room to stand off to the side, still out of sight from the crowd gathered below.

Maggie turned to her father. "Who is that?" she whispered.

Jareth looked at her through the corner of his eye. "Ainvar's teachings are lacking. That is- was- the high queen, Elena."

OXO

Sarah sat in the back, out of the public eye, as she watched the ancient druid priest intone a blessing on her daughter. His back was to the audience and his head was bowed over Maggie. Visible magics could be seen swirling around them both as the protection and wisdom charms began to work. The druid took a step back and asked a question which Maggie answered. Sarah was unable to hear the exchange but she wasn't overly interested either. The audience tittered and sighed just as Sarah felt a wave of calm and prosperity flow over her. The kingdom was at peace now for it had its proper queen.

The druid turned to Jessie and took the crown from her head and placed it on Maggie's dark smooth hair. He tried to turn once more, motioning to the new queen but a red haired woman stepped forward. Over half the audience gasped.

"I will enter the higher court now. My duty on this mundane surface has ended. You take your problems and concerns to High Queen Annetha now and leave me in peace!" Elena drew herself up to her full height and glared at the crowd gathered below. She vanished suddenly with a clap of thunder. Sarah was one of the few to jump and she giggled self-consciously when people turned to look back at her.

Annetha visibly sagged and walked off the dais to the hidden chamber. The druid took a moment to gather himself once more and placed a hand on Maggie's back. "I give you Queen May Gwen, Ruler of Scats. May she have a long and happy reignment."

The audience cheered for a good five minutes then started clearing out for the party that's to follow. Sarah stayed behind, watching Jareth hug Maggie and whisper something to her. She nodded her head and turned away from the crowd. Jareth's eyes rose and sought through the crowd until he alighted on Sarah. He made a small movement with his hand and Sarah nodded, making her way forward smoothly and without issue.

Maggie was crying and hyperventilating. Sarah rushed when she noticed and gathered the girl in her arms. "Shhh, shhh." She soothed and looked at Jareth. "What happened?"

Jareth shrugged. "That woman, Elena. She's my mother and she was quite rude. At least that's what I _think _is wrong. It might not be."

A few people were still in the chapel and Sarah jerked her head. Jareth agreed and they moved to the hidden chamber off to the side. Sarah sat Maggie down, still holding her. She raised her daughter's face. "That's not the real reason is it? You don't know that woman so you don't care how she acts."

Maggie shook her head. "It sounds better then the real reason. I'm such a fool!"

Jareth chuckled. "We are all fools, darling. It's what we do best." Sarah stuck out her tongue at him and he stumbled back in mock shock. "What would Mitchell say?" he gasped and Maggie laughed.

"Well?" Sarah asked.

She sighed. "It's just that, I'm newly crowned and everyone still only cares about a party. Do I have a say whether or not I want to go to the party?"

"Ah," Sarah said. "Yes, well… not really." She looked apologetically at Maggie. "The party is for you on the surface but in reality, it's for the court. You have an active court and an active court demands court functions." Sarah looked slyly at her daughter. "This is a perfect time to perfect your dancing. Try not to lead the other men, ok darling?"

Jareth cleared his throat. "Shawn is a very good dancer, almost as good as his father. I'm sure he could teach you a thing or two…"

Sarah hit him on the arm. "Not until she's at least eighteen!"

Jareth shrugged and rocked back on his heels. Sarah groaned.

Maggie was looking back and forth before she just shrugged. "Let's go make an appearance then."

__

_A quick note: The monkey King's character is taken from the Chinese Hero Monkey. It's a legend made into children's books and I believe it was also a cartoon at one point. If anyone is interested in seeing what Monkey can do, watch 'The forbidden Kingdom' with Jet Lee and Jackie Chan. It's not the best representation but it is the one which is most accessible. _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter ****12: Discriminating Evidence**

The celebration was going strong and didn't seem to be stopping any time soon. Jareth and Sarah were sitting in the far corner of the ball room and Maggie was dancing with guest after guest.

An exciting entertainment was happening just outside in the gardens. Fire Spirits and changelings were blending together to form a story unlike any other that has been told. The fire was glowing and shrinking in size as the changeling morphed and blended into different shapes. First it was a young girl then grew rapidly from girl to woman to old crone to an old man and back down the life line until it was a boy. It flowed easily from the apperence of a boy to that of a dog, then a wolf, then a cat, to a fish to a flower then back to its natural form, a starburst of colour and textures with no definable shape. Sarah could see it through the open doors and she watched, mesmerized and it began changing shapes once more.

She was interrupted when Maggie hurried over. Her cheeks were bright and burning and Sarah laughed. "What happened? What has you blushing so much?"

"Mom, I-." She cast a quick look at Jareth and began again in rapid Dragon. _"Mom, a man over there asked me to MARRY him! What do I do? Annetha told me I wasn't able to get married! I don't understand why he would ask me." _

Sarah looked at her daughter in shock then started to laugh. Jareth quirked an eyebrow, obviously confused. "Maggie, you don't need to worry about marriage just yet, but the offers will continue to come." She turned to her lover. "Is there a rule that states she can only marry one of high standing?"

Maggie was ushered in a chair while Jareth thought. She began to fiddle with her hands, twining her fingers together twisting and pulling them.

Jareth leaned forward and grinned. "I take it you have been proposed to? Well there is one little rule you must follow, my dear. During the time in which you are queen, you mustn't marry unless authorized to by the High Queen and your guardians." He sat back with a smug look. "Meaning, without my approval and Annetha's, you cannot marry."

Maggie released a sigh of relief and leaned against the back of the chair. "They never prepared me for this. Ainvar never even told me it was an option to get married. But why are you my guardian? They never told me this was going to happen either."

He looked at Sarah who sat beside him. She shrugged her shoulders. There had been plenty that wasn't said. "I have always been a guardian to my sister. She was the second fae queen on the throne after my mother since we were banished to the Underground just as I have been the first Fae of the Goblin Kingdom to hold the throne. I advanced before her but my mother and father granted me a guardian ship to protect her. I was her guardian for a number of years before she took the throne and my position progressed as she did. I am your father so I adopt the position of my own free will as well as it being passed on by tradition."

"I don't have to marry?" she asked again and Jareth shook his head. She stood. "I guess I better get to the dance floor again. Mom, Ainvar will be coming soon, you know."

"I know," Sarah released a lung full of air in frustration. "And I want to be long gone. Sorry darling, you know how to handle things here and Henry can help. I would just rather not be around when you meet with him. If I am, he's going to tell me more lies in hope that I would go back."

Maggie kissed Sarah's cheek. "I know, mom. I know." She paused for a moment to straighten her dress and adjust her tiara before sweeping off to dance again.

Jareth stood and moved behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. "It will be alright."

"I know, but it doesn't feel like it will." She leaned back against his chest, sighing in satisfaction.

"What is this about Ainvar telling you lies? As long as I have known him, he's never had to lie to get what he needed from people."

Sarah scowled darkly at the twirling couples. "Obviously he had to." She turned her head so she could see his eyes. "He doesn't like you very much you know. The things he told me… but I must say he seemed rather pleased to learn that you were the father."

He kissed her head, trying to sooth her. "What did he tell you?" he murmured into her hair.

"You ruled a kingdom Aboveground and betrayed your people, most of them died in agony for you and you abandoned them anyway. As I said, he told me lies to make me turn from you." Sarah pulled away from him and stood, taking his hand and leading him from the room. "I've heard about you and the Goblins, like you could ever abandon your people. And besides there was only one king in the Aboveground before you were all forced into exile and that was…" she trailed off from her own ramblings and stared at Jareth in shock. His face was mercifully, maybe not so mercifully, blank. "It's not true… it can't be true."

He pulled a torturous expression and looked up briefly before speaking. "Sarah, I didn't want to abandon my people but the new Christian movement was killing the goddess and we had to leave. It was destroying our souls and when the priests came and began to slaughter our creatures… We had no choice. Our existence was in jeopardy." He was pained at having to resurface the memories. The terror of the cries and fires licking at his people was easily seen on his face. Deep sorrow, such as only one to have seen and lived through devastation can bear.

But Sarah saw through all of that sorrow and brief rage to flicker across his face to the true essence of his pain. He couldn't save them, he couldn't even though he tried and what was more, he was stopped from following his people. This captain would never go down with the ship. She looked to see where they were and smiled when she recognized Henry's office. She pulled him inside and pushed him on the couch, sitting beside him. "Sit Jareth." He did. "There was nothing you could do. You had no choice, none at all and no one here blames you for it. No one in _history_ blames you for it. Most people think that you are a myth, and there never was a Once and Future King." She smiled softly at him and ran a hand down his face. "My own King Arthur. My own Arthur."

He leaned into her touch, displaying such venerability. "I'm not Arthur. I bore that name once and once is enough. There is no Future King because this King is no more then King of the Goblins. No matter what age or era, I will always be nothing more then yours."

Sarah's eyes widened then smiled. "That's enough." She kissed him softly and sweetly, pulling him down so he lay on her, her skirt trailing to the floor.

"Wait." He murmured against her lips. Leaving her laying across the couch, he got up and moved to the door, taking the key from the shelf and locking it, leaving the key inside to block the use. "If Henry comes to use his office, he won't be impressed with us. This way, it gives him and us some warning." He stalked back to her, pealing his shirt off in the process.

Sarah welcomed him back down with open arms and a sound kiss. "Why don't we take this to my rooms then? No one would even begin to bother us there."

He grinned down at her, pulled her sleeves down her shoulders to smother her neck and chest with his mouth. "Humans are not the only ones to have a fantasy or two." His hands moved down her body to reach a lower destination. She groaned as much at his antics as his ministration.

"After this, you are are going to be protecting _me_ because if you don't I have a feeling Henry just might kill me for this. He is-." She gasped. "-very protective of his… study." She pushed him off her suddenly and undid the tie in the back of her dress, pulling it over her head. She pinned Jareth with a look. "Let's work on those fantasies."

OXO

They were tangled on the brown couch, the leather sticking somewhat pleasantly to their flesh. Jareth had his back to the couch as he held Sarah in his arms, making sure she didn't topple over the edge. He looked down at her, her eyes half lidded and her body completely relaxed, soft and compliant against his own. He had her and he was never letting go. All his fears were groundless she had proved that much to him with her actions but her admission just before she fell into this relaxed doze had cast any doubt far from his mind. She had said _always._ _I have ALWAYS loved you. _She meant it from the bottom of her heart. She is no longer the fifteen year old brat or the eighteen year old seductress. She was now an immortal and would forever be by his side.

He grinned as the door rattled and impatient curses came from outside it. The ball was finished and it seemed as if Henry wanted back into his study. Jareth held Sarah tighter and vanished to her rooms, remembering too late about the blatant discriminating evidence. Their clothes.

TBC

__

_Look for the third and final installment: Desperation  
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I hope the ending is satisfactory- if nothing else._


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